North Korea doesn’t let foreigners into its new beach resort, even though it advertises it as a place for international tourists to visit
The Wonsan Kalma resort in North Korea, which was formerly advertised to foreigners, is closed to foreign visitors due to an inexplicable policy flip.
The recent temporary ban on foreign tourists to North Korea’s recently opened Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone runs counter to previous initiatives to market the resort as a major international travel destination.
Kim Jong Un, the country’s leader, hailed the 4-kilometer seaside resort, which opened on July 1, as a key component of initiatives to strengthen the industry. But according to a post on the official North Korean tourism website, outsiders are now “temporarily” prohibited from visiting.
The news was made just days after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with Kim in Wonsan, concurrently with the first group of Russian tourists apparently arriving in the resort.
In addition to praising the development as a “good tourist attraction,” Lavrov expressed his hope that it would gain more popularity among Russians. By the end of July, Russia and North Korea plan to start direct flights between Moscow and Pyongyang.
Over the next few months, NK News was informed by a Russian tour guide that multiple additional group trips to Wonsan were scheduled.
Wonsan, a city on the east coast of North Korea, is home to military and naval installations, including missile launch sites, in addition to being a popular vacation spot for the nation’s leading class. The region is thought to have been a part of Kim’s early years.
According to official media, the Wonsan Kalma resort can accommodate 20,000 guests and has hotels, dining options, retail establishments, and a water park. In 2018, work on the resort started.
However, the project has long been criticized by human rights organizations, which claim that workers endured harsh conditions, long hours, forced labor, and little to no pay. The nation has attempted to present the resort as a representation of economic aspirations and prosperity, but these worries have remained.
On June 24, Kim Jong Un and his family attended the resort’s ceremonial opening ceremony, which was attended by Russian representatives.
Pyongyang’s recent history of inconsistent tourism policy is followed by the current limitation on foreign access. North Korea opened its borders to Russian tourists again in 2023 after years of border closures due to COVID. Australian, French, German, and British tourists were also permitted entrance by February 2024, but their travels were abruptly and mysteriously halted weeks later.
The new restriction on foreign visitors has been made without an official explanation, and it is still unknown when or if the resort will reopen to foreign visitors.
