Inside North Korea's huge new coastal resort that rest of the world is banned from visiting

North Korea has completed the construction of a sprawling new coastal resort, whichmay eventually be opened to foreign visitors.

The Wonsan Kalma coastal tourist area, located on the country's east coast along the Sea of Japan, was officially unveiled by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who praised the project as a major milestone in the government's efforts to expand the tourism sector.

According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim toured the newly built resort and expressed "great satisfaction" with its completion.

He declared the development "one of the greatest successes of the year" and described it as “the proud first step” toward implementing North Korea’s broader policy of economic development through tourism.

The government views tourism as a potential source of much-needed foreign currency and employment opportunities, especially as international sanctions and economic isolation continue to weigh heavily on the country's economy.

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The resort, which includes hotels, leisure facilities and beachfront areas, is designed to accommodate approximately 20,000 visitors. It is scheduled to open to domestic tourists next Tuesday, though no specific date has been announced for when it will open to international guests.

The opening ceremony was attended by Kim's wife Ri Sol Ju and his daughter Kim Ju Ae, who has made more frequent public appearances in recent months and is widely believed to be his likely successor.

The North Korean government has been actively working to present the country as a desirable destination for international travellers, despite its longstanding reputation as one of the world's most closed and secretive states.

Kim Jong Un has promoted tourism as a key pillar in his strategy to revitalise the nation’s struggling economy. In line with this goal, state media reported that similar large-scale tourist developments are being planned in other regions of the country.

However, the prospect of welcoming large numbers of foreign tourists remains uncertain. North Korea closed its borders to international visitors in early 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and has yet to fully lift those restrictions.

Limited international access has resumed in recent months: since February 2024, North Korea has been accepting tourists from Russia, a move that reflects the growing political and economic ties between Pyongyang and Moscow.

Despite this development, Chinese group tours - which historically made up over 90% of foreign tourist arrivals before the pandemic - have not yet resumed.

KCNA reported that Russia's ambassador to North Korea and embassy staff attended the opening ceremony of the Wonsan Kalma resort, signalling continued cooperation between the two nations. The report did not mention whether any Chinese diplomats were present at the event.

In February 2025, a small group of international tourists visited North Korea for the first time since the pandemic began, marking a tentative step toward reopening the country to the outside world.

However, travel agencies reported in March that further tours had been paused for unspecified reasons. In April, North Korea hosted an international marathon in Pyongyang, which featured participation from a limited number of foreign athletes.

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