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North Korea opens huge coastal resort as Kim Jong Un celebrates ‘one of the greatest successes this year’ | World News

Skynews wonsan kim jong un 6950905.jpg

North Korea has built a huge coastal resort which might one day open to foreign tourists.

The secretive state’s leader Kim Jong Un opened the Wonsan Kalma coastal tourist area with “great satisfaction”, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

Mr Kim toured the site and said its construction would be considered “one of the greatest successes this year” and called it “the proud first step” towards realising the government’s policy of developing tourism.

Kim Jong Un and his daughter Kim Ju Ae watch a person on a waterslide.
Pic: KCNA/Reuters
Image:
Mr Kim and his daughter watch a person on a waterslide. Pic: KCNA/Reuters

The beach resort can accommodate around 20,000 visitors and will open to domestic tourists next Tuesday, but the report did not say when it would welcome foreign visitors.

Mr Kim opened the resort with his daughter, and presumed heir, Kim Ju Ae and wife Ri Sol Ju.

Kim Jong Un and his daughter Kim Ju Ae visit a water park as part of the celebrations.
Pic: KCNA/Reuters
Image:
Pic: KCNA/Reuters

The North Korean leader has been working to shape the hermit kingdom into a tourist destination as part of efforts to revive its struggling economy.

State media says North Korea will confirm plans to build large tourist sites in other locations as well.

Kim Jong Un waves during a ceremony to celebrate the completion of the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone.
Pic: KCNA/Reuters
Image:
Mr Kim waves during a ceremony to celebrate the opening of the beach resort. Pic: KCNA/Reuters

North Korea is yet to fully lift the ban on foreign tourists it imposed in early 2020 in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

From February 2024 it has been accepting Russian tourists amid the deepening relations between the two countries, but Chinese group tours remain stalled, despite making up more than 90% of visitors before the pandemic.

Russia’s ambassador to North Korea and his embassy staff attended the ceremony marking the completion of the resort, KCNA said. It did not say whether any Chinese diplomats had been invited.

Read more:
North Korea tests hypersonic missile of ‘intermediate range’
Kim Jong Un triggers huge explosion in capital construction project

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A small group of international tourists visited the country for the first time in February this year, but in March travel agencies said their tours to North Korea were paused. In April it held a marathon event which hosted foreign runners.

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