North Korea bans foreigners from beach resort after first round of Russian tourists
North Korea has temporarily banned foreign visitors from the newly opened Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Area, a luxury beach resort on the contry’s east coast, shortly after it began welcoming tourists. This decision comes unexpectedly and without clarification, despite earlier ambitions to develop a tourism industry targeting international visitors, especially Russians and Chinese. The resort, heavily promoted in both North Korea and Russia, features hotels, restaurants, a water park, and a large beach area capable of hosting thousands of guests. The timing coincides with the arrival of the first group of Russian tourists and a recent visit by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who met with North Korean leaders. wonsan is a wealthy area associated with the North Korean elite,including Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un,who attended the resort’s grand opening. The ban raises questions about the resort’s future and the potential loss of revenue crucial for its maintenance.
North Korea bans foreigners from beach resort after first round of Russian tourists
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is stopping foreign visitors from coming to its newest beach resort less than a month after it opened to the public.
The scenic Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Area on the nation’s east coast announced Friday that it will “temporarily” be banning international tourists without offering an explanation.
It is an about-face to the beach club’s declared goal of attracting overseas visitors and helping initiate a tourist industry in the totalitarian, hermetic country.
The timing of the regime’s decision is raising questions — the first batch of Russian visitors arrived at the resort last week.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was in the city at the same time, meeting with his North Korean counterparts and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un.
Kim was previously joined by Russian ambassadors at the resort’s grand opening in late June. He and his young daughter, Kim Ju Ae, were photographed watching North Koreans use a park waterslide while enjoying drinks and cigarettes.
Russians and Chinese citizens were expected to be key demographics for the resort.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova previously called Wonsan Kalma a “fantastic resort” and its accommodations “perfect” in an interview with state media.
Wonsan has long been among North Korea’s richest neighborhoods and is widely seen as a luxury playground for the nation’s elites.
Kim spent much of his youth in the region, which has vacation villas and shopping malls utterly foreign to the rest of the impoverished country.
The launch of Wonsan Kalma was heavily promoted in North Korea and Russia. Press releases and promotional photography showed visitors enjoying attractions and sitting poolside in beach chairs.
However, the background of some images appeared to betray an almost entirely empty park behind the photo subjects in staged poses.
The resort reportedly boasts a hotel, a shopping center, restaurants, and a water park. The government claims the two-mile tract of beach can accommodate up to 20,000 guests.
It was originally planned to open in April 2019, the birthday of North Korean founder Kim Il Sung.
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This time frame was compromised by the sheer amount of construction and the COVID-19 pandemic, which ravaged North Korea more intensely than other countries due to widespread malnutrition and a lack of healthcare.
The North Korean tourism board has not provided a timeline for when the resort will be reopened to foreign travelers, but the loss of income could prove troublesome for the upkeep of the luxurious complex.
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