North Korea’s new luxury beach resort can host 20,000 visitors but remains closed to virtually all international tourists despite being heralded by Kim Jong Un as one of the country’s “greatest feats” of the year.
Key Takeaways
- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has inaugurated the Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist zone, a massive resort designed to accommodate up to 20,000 guests annually
- The resort currently welcomes only domestic tourists and select Russian visitors, with no timeline for opening to broader international tourism
- Kim Jong Un visited the resort with his wife Ri Sol-ju and daughter Kim Ju-ae, fueling speculation about his daughter’s potential future leadership role
- Despite international sanctions and poverty, North Korea continues to invest heavily in showcase projects while seeking tourism as a revenue source
- The development represents Kim’s vision to transform Wonsan from a missile testing site into a tourism hub
Massive Tourism Investment with Limited Access
Kim Jong Un officially opened the sprawling Wonsan-Kalma coastal resort on North Korea’s eastern shoreline, cutting the ceremonial tape at a facility that has been years in development. The beachfront complex features extensive accommodations and recreational amenities including swimming areas, sports facilities, and dining options. Despite the scale of this investment, the resort currently remains closed to most international visitors, highlighting the contradiction in North Korea’s approach to tourism development while maintaining strict border controls.
Kim Jong Un, Supreme Leader of North Korea said the beach was “one of the greatest successes this year.”
The resort, which Kim described as “the proud first step” in North Korea’s tourism development, demonstrates the regime’s focus on showcasing achievements even as the country faces severe economic challenges under international sanctions. Russian ambassador Alexander Matsegora and embassy staff attended the opening ceremony, reflecting strengthened ties between North Korea and Russia. These diplomatic connections explain why Russian tourists are likely to be the first foreigners permitted to visit the resort, though no specific timeline has been announced.
A Family Affair with Political Implications
The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) provided extensive coverage of Kim Jong Un’s visit to the resort with his family, including his wife Ri Sol-ju and daughter Kim Ju-ae. This family outing carried potential political significance beyond a simple tourist visit. The continued public appearances of Kim’s daughter at major state events has fueled ongoing speculation about her being groomed for a leadership role in the future of the regime, representing a potential dynastic succession plan.
“Kim Jong-un is more accustomed to overseeing ballistic missile launches and political purges, but this week the North Korean leader opted for a change of pace with a family visit to a new beach resort – the vanguard in a tourism drive that may one day include foreign visitors,” reported KCNA, North Korea’s state news agency.
Media observers noted that Ri Sol-ju appeared at the ceremony carrying what appeared to be a Gucci handbag, raising questions about potential violations of UN sanctions that prohibit luxury goods imports to North Korea. This conspicuous display of wealth stands in stark contrast to the economic hardships faced by most North Korean citizens, highlighting the disconnect between the regime’s propaganda efforts and the country’s reality.
Economic Ambitions Amid Sanctions
The Wonsan-Kalma resort represents part of Kim Jong Un’s broader vision to develop North Korea’s tourism sector as an economic lifeline amid crushing international sanctions imposed due to the country’s nuclear weapons program. The resort’s opening was delayed from its original October 2019 date due to construction challenges and later the COVID-19 pandemic, which prompted North Korea to seal its borders. The country remains among the world’s poorest, yet continues to allocate substantial resources to military development, monuments, and now tourism infrastructure.
Since February 2024, North Korea has cautiously begun accepting limited Russian tourists, though Chinese group tours remain suspended. A small contingent of international visitors was permitted entry in February for the first time in five years, but these tours were quickly paused again in March. The resort’s transformation of Wonsan, a town where Kim Jong Un spent part of his childhood and which previously hosted missile testing facilities, symbolizes the leader’s attempt to reimagine North Korea’s international image while maintaining its militaristic stance.
Strategic Relationships and Future Prospects
The presence of Russian officials at the resort’s opening ceremony underscores the strengthening alliance between Moscow and Pyongyang. North Korea has reportedly sent troops to support Russia in Ukraine, and the two nations recently reopened a direct passenger train route between their capitals. This relationship may provide North Korea with limited economic benefits outside the standard sanctions regime, potentially including tourism revenue from Russian visitors to facilities like the Wonsan-Kalma resort.
The appeal of North Korean tourism to Western travelers remains questionable, as the main attractions continue to be historical and political sites in Pyongyang rather than beach resorts. Some specialized tour operators view North Korea as a niche destination for travelers seeking unconventional experiences, but the strict controls and extensive propaganda that accompanies all visits limit mainstream tourism potential. Until North Korea significantly changes its approach to international engagement, showcase projects like Wonsan-Kalma will likely serve primarily as propaganda for domestic consumption rather than genuine economic drivers.
