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North Korea’s new resort closes to foreigners days after Russian tourism pledge
The decision raises questions over the readiness of the Wonsan-Kalma project that features luxury hotels and an outdoor water park
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North Korea has suspended foreigners’ access to a newly opened beach resort on its east coast, just days after Russia’s top diplomat visited the area and vowed to help increase tourist flows to the isolated country.
North Korea’s National Tourism Administration said the Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist area that began operations this month is temporarily not accepting foreign guests, without elaborating.
The beach resort is one of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s pet projects. Kim has a private mansion on the coast, and during construction of the facilities he often visited the site to oversee progress on a project that features about 7,000 guest rooms in luxury hotels and private villas, an outdoor water park and an airport, according to state media.
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited the resort town during his recent North Korea trip in which he met Kim on the leader’s yacht. Lavrov said at a meeting with his North Korean counterpart in Wonsan that Russia will “do everything” to expand the flow of Russian tourists to North Korea.
Tourism is a key revenue source for the sanctions-hit country, but it has been allowing only a trickle of inbound tourists from Russia since it began easing its pandemic border restrictions.
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North Korean authorities keep close tabs on overseas visitors, who are usually required to stay at lodgings designated for use by foreigners and restricted in their movements in the country.
A peek inside North Korea's new beach resort
A peek inside North Korea's new beach resort
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