North Korea to open beach resort as Kim Jong-un eyes tourism

Published on 26/06/2025 - 10:56 GMT+2

North Korea will unfastened a formation edifice connected its eastbound seashore adjacent week successful what authoritarian leader Kim Jong-un hopes will beryllium nan “first step” connected nan way to processing nan country’s tourism sector.

The Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourer zone, which spans a 4-kilometre conception of beach, comprises hotels, restaurants, shopping centres and a h2o park, according to authorities media.

Building began successful nan area successful 2018, but was delayed by some building problems and nan COVID-19 pandemic.

The zone, which tin accommodate astir 20,000 guests a year, will person its first home visitors connected Tuesday, nan Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. It is not known erstwhile world visitors will follow.

At nan resort’s expansive opening connected Tuesday, Kim was accompanied by his wife, Ri Sol-ju, and their daughter, Kim Ju-ae, who is his presumed heir.

Russian Ambassador Alexander Matsegora besides attended arsenic a typical guest, nan KCNA confirmed.

The state-run news agency reported Kim arsenic saying that nan completion of Wonsan-Kalma would beryllium “one of nan top successes this year”, adding that nan tract was “the proud first step” towards boosting nan country’s tourism industry.

Analysts opportunity Russian visitors will apt beryllium granted entree earlier different foreigners, fixed nan adjacent narration betwixt nan 2 countries.

North Korea and Russia deepened their confederation past twelvemonth by signing a communal defence treaty. Pyongyang has besides sent thousands of troops to its neighbour to thief pinch its warfare against Ukraine.

“I deliberation North Korea will soon judge Russian tourists, fixed nan Russian embassy officials attended nan ceremony,” said Lee Sangkeun, an master astatine South Korea’s Institute for National Security Strategy, a deliberation vessel tally by Seoul’s intelligence agency.

“There seems to beryllium issues that North Korea hasn't yet resolved successful its relations pinch China. But North Korea has put successful excessively overmuch money connected tourism and plans to walk more. Subsequently, to get its money's worth, North Korea can't thief receiving Chinese tourists,” Lee added.

Pyongyang’s overseas tourer ban, which was implemented successful 2020 during nan pandemic, still has not been afloat lifted. However, Russian groups person been permitted to sojourn definite parts of nan country.