North Korea announces opening of long-abandoned ‘Tourist City’ in May 2025

North Korea's long-delayed Wonsan-Kalma beach resort is set to welcome tourists in May 2025, as announced by leader Kim Jong Un during his visit to the site on the east coast.

Initiated in early 2018, the development of this extensive coastal tourist city faced several setbacks, missing its initial 2019 opening dates. The project was further delayed and largely abandoned due to the pandemic. Spanning 605 acres (245 hectares) and featuring thousands of hotel rooms along a 3.5-mile (5.5-km) white-sand beach, the resort is a significant undertaking by the military.


In recent months, some Russian tourists were given an exclusive preview of the resort.

During Kim's first visit to Wonsan-Kalma in over five years, he noted that the construction had reached its final phase. He held a meeting with top officials, discussing the final preparations required for the resort's operation ahead of its opening in May 2025. He emphasised the need for high service standards and called for additional features like an amusement park, leisure activity areas, proper waste management, and training for service experts.



Earlier state media reports indicated Kim's interest in inviting tourists, particularly from friendly nations such as Russia and China, to other tourist zones in the country, raising speculation about whether Western tourists would be allowed. The latest report suggested plans to expand foreign tourism at Wonsan after the borders, closed in January 2020 due to the pandemic, began reopening around a year ago.


Kim highlighted the importance of developing sports-based, leisure-oriented, and sightseeing tourism along the coast to position Wonsan-Kalma as a premier global destination.

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If reports are to go by, the project's scale indicates a dual focus on both foreign and domestic tourists, given the significant role of domestic tourism in North Korea. While foreign tourists might not generate substantial revenue, their presence could help sustain the resort's operations.


Due to North Korea's strict regulations, foreign tourists at Wonsan-Kalma are likely to be closely monitored and restricted from leaving the resort zone without official escorts. Additionally, worsening relations between North and South Korea suggest that South Korean tourists, initially targeted when the project began, will likely not be permitted to visit.


Kim also identified other locations for potential tourism development, including Mount Kumgang, Mount Chilbo, Majon, Kumya, Riwon, and Yombunjin.

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