North Korea is gearing up to revive its economy through tourism following the inauguration of its luxurious seaside resort, Wonsan-Kalma. The resort was inaugurated by Kim Jong-un and is described as ‘the national treasure-level tourism city’ by the State media.
Wonsan-Kalma Beach Resort: Kim Jong-un’s Strategy To Revive North Korea’s Tourism
The Wonsan-Kalma Beach resort is said to be the biggest tourist site of North Korea. Inaugurated on June 28, in the presence of the leader Kim Jong-un and few high-ranking officials from Russia, the resort is built to accommodate 20,000 guests and features lavish waterparks, high-rise hotels and range of upscale amenities rarely seen within the country.
The resort’s proximity to the Wonsan International Airport and the newly inaugurated Kalma Railway station complements the resort’s expensive services and adds to the travel infrastructure.
While the nation is struggling with severe hunger and hardship, this lavish project is being promoted as proof of Kim’s care for his people, reported CNN. The presence of Russian officials at the inauguration ceremony also hints at North Korea’s growing ties with Moscow and its subsequent distance from the West. KCNA (Korean Central News Agency) reported North Korea will confirm plans to build large tourist sites in other parts of the country, too.
Wonsan-Kalma Beach Resort: Who Will Be Its First Guest
The resort is set to welcome and serve domestic elites first starting today, July 1, said KCNA. “The initial target for this resort is going to be the privileged domestic elite of Pyongyang, such as party officials and other high-ranking figures,” CNN quoted professor Lim Eul-chul as saying.
Vostok Intur, a Russian travel agency, has already initiated marketing exclusive travel packages to Wonsan Kalma for July and August. The agency offers three tailored tour options, each priced at approximately $1,840 per person. The first tour is scheduled to depart on July 7, spanning eight days.
No official statement has been issued whether the tourist site will host foreign guests apart from Russian nationals. However, witnessing the visuals of the resort, the observers predict that the construction must have cost North Korea a fortune and it has to eventually accept foreigners to break even.
Before Wonsan-Kalma Resort: A Look At North Korea’s Tourism Plans
North Korea had opened Mount Kumgang for South Korean visitors in the 1990s which was seen as a rare step toward peace. Around two million tourists visited, bringing in money. But, the tours halted after a South Korean visitor had been shot in 2008 for entering a restricted area.
North Korea is yet to properly lift the tourism bans it imposed in 2020 following COVID 19 pandemic. In 2022, Kim demolished multiple buildings in the region calling them outdated. Experts have stated that North Korea has been relatively slow in expanding its international tourism given its recent tense relations with South Korea and US along with its worries about the western tourists setting a negative narrative about its image.
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