North Korea's Kim Jong-Un Opens Luxury Beach Resort With 54 Hotels, Cinema, Beer Pubs Here's What It Offers

(MENAFN- Live Mint) The Wonsan Kalma coastal resort zone is now open in North Korea, following nearly seven years of construction, according to state media reports on Thursday. It features 54 hotels, cinema, beer pubs among others. Kim Jong Un, more often seen overseeing missile tests, was seen promoting the destination alongside his family.

Calling the resort one of the country's“greatest feats” of the year, Kim watched the celebrations while seated with his daughter, Kim Ju-ae, and his wife, Ri Sol-ju. Dressed in a dark suit, white shirt, and tie, departing from his usual Mao-style attire, Kim oversaw the festivities at the resort.

A look at resort's features

Stretching across three miles (5 km) of coastline on the Kalma Peninsula, the resort features hundreds of facilities, including 54 hotels, a large indoor and outdoor waterpark, a mini-golf course, a movie theater, several shopping malls, dozens of restaurants, five beer pubs, and two video game arcades, according to a guide map located at its northern entrance.

Construction on the project began in early 2018 but faced delays due to setbacks and the COVID-19 pandemic. The resort is set to open to domestic tourists on July 1. Although foreign visitors are still barred from entering the country under COVID-era restrictions, Russian travel agency Vostok Intur has organised a week-long tour starting July 7, according to the resort's website.

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The itinerary includes a flight from Pyongyang to Wonsan on July 8, a four-night stay at the beach resort, followed by one night at the nearby Masikryong ski resort, and concludes with a day of sightseeing back in the capital.

North Korea's tourism

Tourism is one of the few remaining sources of revenue for North Korea not affected by United Nations sanctions. However, the isolated nation lacked a significant foreign partner for the Wonsan project, amid ongoing sanctions related to its weapons programs.

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North Korea closed its borders in 2020 at the onset of the pandemic but has been gradually easing restrictions since 2023. While it has permitted Russian tourist groups to enter, its capital and many other areas remain off-limits to general tourism. In April, however, it hosted a marathon event that included international participants.

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