Pyongyang: North Korea has opened its long-delayed Wonsan Kalma beach resort, a project that leader Kim Jong Un hopes will elevate tourism and project a modern image of the reclusive state. The resort welcomed domestic tourists on July 1, six years after its initial planned opening.
Located on a 4-kilometre stretch along the country’s east coast, the expansive development includes hotels, shopping malls, restaurants, and a water park. State media outlet KCNA claimed the resort can accommodate up to 20,000 visitors, though these details remain unverified by independent sources.
Kim Jong Un, accompanied by his daughter Kim Ju Ae and wife Ri Sol Ju, attended the opening ceremony on June 24. It marked Ri’s first public appearance since a New Year’s Day event. Russian ambassador Alexander Matsegora and other embassy officials were also present, underlining Pyongyang’s growing ties with Moscow.
The Wonsan region holds personal significance for Kim, who spent part of his childhood there and is said to have a private villa in the area. Once home to a missile testing site, Wonsan has been central to Kim’s vision of a transformed North Korea, one that appeals to both domestic elites and potential foreign visitors.
The beach resort was originally slated for an October 2019 opening but was delayed due to construction issues and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The country sealed its borders in early 2020 and only began easing restrictions in mid-2023, initially allowing Russian tourists to return. A brief window of access was granted to select Western visitors earlier this year before being quickly closed again without explanation.
Despite the resort’s scale, foreign tour operators remain cautious about its international draw. Rowan Beard, co-founder of Young Pioneer Tours stated that, “It’s unlikely to be a major draw for most Western tourists. Key sites like Pyongyang, the DMZ, and other historic or ideological landmarks will remain the focus for international visitors once tourism resumes more broadly.”
Elliott Davies, director of Uri Tours, offered a different perspective, noting that North Korea’s unique identity continues to appeal to a niche segment of travellers. Elliott Davies remarked that, “It’s intriguing to experience something as familiar as a beach resort that’s been shaped within the unique cultural context of North Korea.”
The resort’s opening coincides with deepening relations between Pyongyang and Moscow. In a sign of warming ties, North Korea and Russia recently resumed direct passenger train service between their capitals, suspended since the onset of the pandemic. North Korea has also reportedly sent troops to support Russia in its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Tourism could become a new avenue of revenue for the heavily sanctioned nation, which continues to allocate vast resources to its military and symbolic infrastructure projects glorifying the Kim family.
KCNA hailed the resort’s debut as a ‘great, auspicious event’ and a prelude to the new era in national tourism, though it remains uncertain when, or if, it will open to broader international audiences.
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