North Korea Unveils Wonsan-Kalma Beach Resort
North Korea has officially unveiled the Wonsan-Kalma beach resort, a massive coastal development six years in the making and personally overseen by leader Kim Jong Un. Described by state media as a “proud first step” in reviving the country's tourism industry, the site features hotels, restaurants, shopping areas, and a water park, with room for up to 20,000 guests. It opens to North Korean citizens on July 1st, but there’s no confirmed timeline for when international tourists will be welcomed.
Kim Jong Un cut the ribbon at a grand ceremony on June 24th, joined by his wife Ri Sol Ju and daughter Kim Ju Ae. Russian diplomats were in attendance, but not their Chinese counterparts, reinforcing the idea that Russian tourists may be the first foreign visitors allowed in. With North Korea having invested heavily in the resort despite its struggling economy, experts say the country will likely seek to attract Chinese tour groups eventually to make the project financially viable.
Tourism is one of the few legal ways Pyongyang can earn foreign cash. While the pandemic shut borders in 2020, the country began reopening slowly in 2023. Still, some tour operators remain doubtful about Wonsan’s appeal to Western tourists. As Elliott Davies from Uri Tours put it, “It’s intriguing to experience something as familiar as a beach resort that’s been shaped within the unique cultural context of North Korea.”
