North Korea set to open up beach resort as Kim Jong Un bets on tourism

Wonsan Kalma will open next week.

State media has reported that the secretive communist regime will open a resort next month.

Six years after it was meant to be completed, Wonsan Kalma on the east coast of North Korea will open to domestic tourists on July 1; however, it is unclear when it will open for tourists.

Kim Jong Un grew up in luxury in the Wonsan area, where many of the country's most elite have private villas.

The town, which once hosted a missile testing site, is set to be transformed.

KCNA, state media, claimed that the resort will accommodate up to 20,000 visitors. The four-kilometer beach stretch will be home to hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, and a water park, none of which can be verified.

North Korea has been heavily sanctioned for its nuclear weapons for decades and is among the poorest countries in the world.

Most of the country's resources are distributed to the military, monuments, and landmarks (usually in Pyongyang) that embellish the Kim family, who have run the country since 1948.

Foreign tourists are allowed into the country, with tour groups largely coming from China and Russia, and other countries with whom Pyongyang has maintained friendly relations.

Speaking to the BBC Rowan Beard, co-founder of Young Pioneer Tours said: "I was hoping this might signal a broader reopening to international tourism, but unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case for now."

Overseas tourism took a hit due to the pandemic as the country only eased regulations in 2023, welcoming back Russian travellers a year later.

In February of this year, Pyongyang opened to Western tourists when visitors from the UK, France, Germany and Australia drove across the border from China. However, it abruptly halted tourism just weeks later for unknown reasons.

Tour agencies are sceptical of the resort's appeal to foreigners, with Beard saying it's 'unlikely to be a major draw for most Western tourists.'

"Key sites like Pyongyang, the DMZ, and other brutalist or communist landmarks will continue to be the main highlights for international visitors once broader tourism resumes," he added.

Contrarily, Uri Tours director Elliott Davies said North Korea holds a 'niche appeal.'

He explained: "It's intriguing to experience something as familiar as a beach resort that's been shaped within the unique cultural context of North Korea."

KCNA labelled the development a 'great, auspicious event of the whole country' and a 'prelude to the new era' in tourism.

Kim attended a ceremony earlier this week celebrating Wonsan Kalma's completion. He was accompanied by his daughter, Kim Ju Ae, and wife Ri Sol Ju.

Russian ambassador Alexander Matsegora and embassy staff also attended the event.

The opening comes as North Korea and Russia have strengthened their partnership following sanctions from the West.

Additionally, North Korea has sent troops to Russia to fight in its invasion of Ukraine.

Just today, June 26, the two countries reopened a direct passenger train route after a five-year suspension.