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Only weeks after opening its much-delayed Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Region, North Korea has suddenly prohibited outsiders from visiting the new beach resort, even if it was originally hyped as a “world-class” resort.
A report by Bloomberg states that the ban was made unexpectedly, just days following a visit by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to the site and a commitment to help North Korea pursue tourism. The official national tourism site, DPR Korea Tour, merely indicated that foreign travelers are “temporarily not accepted,” according to Korea JoongAng Daily.
The seaside resort, which finally opened on June 24 after years of delays caused by international sanctions and the COVID-19 pandemic, is located in Kangwon Province near Wonsan airport. State media praised the project as a “national treasure-level tourism city,” with leader Kim Jong Un calling it one of the regime’s greatest successes of the year.
Designed to look like European seaside resorts, the complex stretches 2.5 miles of white sand beach and is reported to have 43 beachfront hotels, lakeside guesthouses, and multiple campgrounds. In 2017, even North Korea officials went to Spain’s Benidorm to learn about its tower resorts and marina facilities as part of designing the resort.
Despite its auspicious opening and initial attempts to attract foreign interest specifically from Russia the complex is still off-limits to international travelers. Satellite photos vetted by the 38 North program indicate that some of the resort may still be under development. The fact that one of the biggest hotels seems dormant, with no signs of activity or a rooftop pool filled, stands out. Some buildings are still not assigned a name on official maps, which suggests the complex is still not fully operational.
When Lavrov visited on July 12, Kim Jong Un welcomed the Russian diplomat personally, calling him the first foreign visitor to the resort. Russian state media gushed over the accommodations, saying they were “fantastic.” Two other Russian tour groups had already been booked by a local agency for August.
Experts speculate the impromptu closure to foreigners might be because of unresolved infrastructure or to regain control of optics before opening the site to wider inspection. Others think it might be merely temporary and that Russian and perhaps Chinese tourists could be welcomed soon.
With tourism being a significant source of revenue for the sanctions-hit regime, keeping the resort shut to foreigners would be counterproductive to its financial viability, analysts maintain. “If they don’t let in foreign tourists, the resort won’t make it,” said Ahn Chan Il of the World Institute for North Korean Studies.
Contrary to the shiny veneer, reports indicate that several scenes had been staged for Lavrov’s arrival. A Russian reporter observed that the beach was largely deserted, contrary to official assertions of popularity among natives.
