North Korea opens spectacular beach department - who is allowed in?

North Korea opens spectacular beach department - who is allowed in?

Wonsan Kalma, Nordkorea - North Korea opened a new, billion -dollar holiday complex on June 29, 2025, which is located on the Kalma peninsula near Wonsan on the east coast. The opening took place in the presence of Kim Jong-Un, his wife Ri Sol Ju and her daughter Kim Ju ae. After years of construction work that started in 2018, the project was delayed several times by the Coronapandemic. The complex, which is designed for a capacity of almost 20,000 beds, includes amusement parks, 17 large and 37 smaller Hotels as well as 29 shopping centers and restaurants. Kim Jong-UN described the opening as one of the "greatest successes of the year".

The tourism zone, which is known as Wonsan Kalma, was specially designed for domestic guests, since the majority of the population in North Korea has no access to such holiday offers due to poverty and restricted freedom of movement. The first local guests are to be welcomed from July 1, 2025. Despite this opening, entry for foreign tourists, especially from the West, remains very limited. Russian citizens who can go on trips to Kalma are an exception.

Exclusive travel options for Russians

The Russian travel company Wostok Intur offers trips to North Korea for the equivalent of around 1570 euros. However, only 262 Russians traveled to North Korea in the first quarter of 2025, which indicates the continued disinterest or travel restrictions. In addition, international sanctions are a major hurdle for North Korea, which means that the country could not win any significant foreign partners for the development of this project.

The opening of the holiday complex is seen by the Korean leadership as a step to increase the attractiveness of North Korea as a tourist cultural site of world rank. The Russian ambassador was also present at the opening of the opening, which symbolizes the friendly relationships between North Korea and Russia. The German Ministry of Foreign Affairs advised to travel to North Korea because foreigners are encountered with distrust.

The area around Wonsan was selected in 2014 for a conversion as a tourist center. After North Korea grabbed its borders due to pandemic in 2020, some restrictions were gradually lifted from 2023. The new tourist zone is a significant step for the regime to strengthen its isolated economy through tourism and at the same time to serve the North Korean elite that can benefit from the advantages of the new resort.