Tourists from China pose for photos on Kim Il Sung square in Pyongyang on June 19, 2019. ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un recently visited the Wonsan-Kalma tourism site, a major project on the country's eastern coast, as reported by AP News from state media.
The Wonsan-Kalma zone, set to open on May 2025, has been one of Kim's most ambitious tourism projects. For years, North Korea has been developing luxury hotels and recreational facilities in the area, aiming to attract international visitors.
However, the project has faced numerous delays, primarily due to shortages of construction materials stemming from stringent U.N. sanctions and COVID-19 restrictions.
Despite the ongoing construction, North Korea continues to block most foreign tourists from entering the country.
While North Korea is slowly relaxing some of the strict rules it put in place during the pandemic to help improve its economy, the country still isn't allowing most foreign tourists to visit.
A few exceptions have been made, including a number of Russian tourists and the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization Director-General, Qu Dongyu, according to Korea Times. Dongyu visited North Korea from July 13 to 16 to strengthen cooperation and address food security challenges in the country
Looking ahead, the return of Chinese tourists could greatly boost North Korea's economy, as they made up about 90% of international visitors before the pandemic. In 2019 alone, approximately 300,000 foreign tourists visited North Korea, generating an estimated $90 million to $150 million in revenue.
It remains unclear if North Korea will allow the return of international U.N. staff, diplomats and foreign nationals.
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