North Korea is gearing up to unveil its monumental Wonsan‑Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone in mid‑2025, marking a dramatic acceleration of its tourism strategy under leader Kim Jong Un. Once stalled by sanctions and the pandemic, the project—originally launched in 2018—has finally entered its final phase, with the opening slated for June after successive delays from its initial 2019 target.
Situated on the Kalma Peninsula near Wonsan, along the Sea of Japan, the development occupies hundreds of hectares and includes a beachfront city complete with luxury hotels, hostels, water park, flower gardens, meeting halls, and even an underwater hotel concept. Satellite imagery and state media confirm that the resort now houses upwards of 7,000 rooms, rivalling some of the largest single‑entity coastal resorts worldwide. The scale is staggering: early reports estimated accommodation capacity for between 7,000 and 20,000 visitors, potentially making it a globally notable landmark.
Kim Jong Un has repeatedly inspected the zone, most recently in late May and December, accompanied by his daughter Kim Ju‑ae, whom he introduced to a high‑ranking audience amid widespread commentary. During these visits, Kim described the project as a “first big step” in establishing North Korea’s tourism infrastructure on a more modern, socialist footing—a development he framed as pivotal for regional rejuvenation, cultural construction, and economic growth. He emphasized its dual use: catering to domestic leisure while serving as a showcase site for foreign delegations, combining hospitality with political signaling.
The resort has faced chronic setbacks. In 2019, material shortages due to UN sanctions delayed the project; in 2020, the COVID‑19 pandemic forced a pause and even saw workers rerouted to health infrastructure, including a major hospital in Pyongyang. These complications left parts of the site unfinished and reportedly dilapidated—reportedly even sheltering homeless vagrants during winter. But since late 2024, construction resumed in earnest, and images from May 2025 reveal beach furniture in place and general completion of outdoor seating and public facilities.
The state has positioned the resort as a magnet for international tourists, especially from Russia and China, with Russian travel groups already observed touring the site under tight supervision due to North Korea’s stringent vetting process. Despite diplomatic overtures—such as promises of “capitalist” goods zones and borderline cross‑border pilot tourism—Western interest remains minimal. Most serious travel agencies manage only niche adventure tourism, and experts warn tourist numbers may disappoint the resort’s grand design .
Analysts are circumspect. At best, planners hope for a few thousand visitors—mostly Russians and Chinese—each year. At worst, the resort may turn into a Potemkin showcase: visually complete, but underutilized, constrained by political isolation and hospitality inexperience . Still, North Korea appears determined. The Wonsan–Kalma resort, viewed as “Kim’s Benidorm”—a reference to Spain’s sunbelt resorts—is intended as a symbol of economic ambition, a diplomatic instrument, and a domestic prestige project, much like the Ryugyong Hotel was in its day.
Complementing the beachfront development is the area’s upgraded infrastructure, including Kalma Airport—which opened a civilian terminal in 2015—new railway links, trolley buses, and possibly tram routes to integrate the zone with broader regional transport improvements. Also nearby is the Masikryong Ski Resort; these recreational assets reflect a cohesive tourism vision for Wonsan.
In sum, North Korea is staging a strategic tourism opening that blends domestic spectacle, international revenue aspiration, and geopolitical signaling. The key questions now focus on the resort’s viability: post‑opening, will it attract enough guests, serve as a genuine revenue stream, and withstand the state’s tight control and global skepticism?
