Kim Jong Un Inaugurates North Korea’s Largest Tourist Zone
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has officially inaugurated the Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist zone, a sprawling new resort complex on the country’s east coast. The massive site, hailed by state media as North Korea’s biggest tourist development, was unveiled during an elaborate ceremony on June 24, 2025, with Kim cutting the ceremonial ribbon himself.
According to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim praised the project’s completion as “one of the greatest successes this year” and a “proud first step” in advancing the government’s tourism industry goals. The development is a key part of Kim’s broader strategy to revitalize North Korea’s struggling economy through tourism.
A Vast Complex, But Limited Access
The Wonsan-Kalma zone is designed to be a major draw, featuring hotels and other accommodations capable of hosting nearly 20,000 guests. Visitors can expect a range of activities, including swimming, various sports and recreation options, and dining facilities like restaurants.
While the resort is physically complete, its opening is phased. KCNA reported that the complex will welcome its first visitors – domestic tourists – starting the following Tuesday (likely June 30, 2025). However, notably absent from the state media reports is any specific timeline for when foreign tourists will be permitted entry.
Why Foreign Tourists Are Needed (and Why They’re Waiting)
Experts monitoring North Korea believe the country has poured significant investment, potentially drawn from its limited national budget, into the Wonsan-Kalma project. To recoup these substantial costs and achieve profitability, opening the resort to foreign visitors, particularly from China, is seen as essential.
However, Pyongyang remains cautious about fully reopening its borders to international tourism. Several factors are cited for the delay:
Lingering COVID-19 Precautions: Despite the passing of the main pandemic phase, some restrictions may still be in place.
Heightened Tensions: Recent years have seen increased tensions with the United States and South Korea.
- Concerns Over Image: There are worries within the North Korean government that Western tourists could potentially spread negative views or images of the country’s unique political system.
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Who Gets In First? Russia and China in Focus
Analysts anticipate that when foreign tourists are eventually allowed, Russian visitors are likely to be among the first groups welcomed. This prediction is underpinned by North Korea’s rapidly expanding ties with Russia, including burgeoning military and economic partnerships. The presence of the Russian ambassador to North Korea and his embassy staff at the inauguration ceremony, as reported by KCNA, further supports this view. Indeed, Russian officials have stated that the first group of Russian tourists is scheduled to visit the site starting July 7th, building on Pyongyang’s decision to allow Russian tourists into other areas since February 2024.
Following Russia, experts generally expect Chinese tours to eventually resume. China constituted over 90% of foreign visitors before the pandemic, and bilateral trade is recovering. Despite some speculation about potentially cooled relations or China’s reluctance to join an anti-Western alliance, the sheer economic necessity of recouping the Wonsan-Kalma investment means North Korea “can’t help receiving Chinese tourists,” as one expert put it. Analysts predict Chinese tours to the zone will likely begin soon.
South Korea and the US: A Distant Prospect
In contrast, the prospect of South Korean and American tourists visiting the resort, or North Korea in general, appears highly unlikely in the near future. Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University’s Institute for Far Eastern Studies in Seoul, stated that tours from these countries are improbable anytime soon.
This remains the case despite past expressions of hope for revived dialogue from figures like former U.S. President Donald Trump and the new liberal South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. North Korea has reportedly rejected recent dialogue proposals from Washington and Seoul, instead choosing to focus on expanding its nuclear weapons program following the collapse of denuclearization talks with Trump in 2019.
A National Strategy
The Wonsan-Kalma resort is positioned as a flagship project within Kim Jong Un’s broader vision to transform North Korea into a significant tourism hub. State media has indicated that Pyongyang plans to announce further proposals for constructing large tourist sites in other parts of the country, signaling a sustained commitment to tourism development as a potential engine for economic growth. However, the timeline for a full international reopening remains uncertain, highlighting the complex interplay of economic ambition, public health concerns, and geopolitical strategy in North Korea’s approach to the world.
