North Korea eyes Russian tourists as Wonsan-Kalma resort opens

North Korea plans to attract Russian tourists after opening its long-delayed Wonsan-Kalma coastal resort to domestic travellers in July, amid deepening ties with Moscow.

North Korea is expected to court Russian tourists following the official completion of its Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist zone, which is set to open to domestic travellers on July 1, South Korea’s Unification Ministry said on Thursday.

Construction of the massive beach resort had been suspended for years due to sanctions and the COVID-19 pandemic, but resumed in 2024. Officials in Seoul say North Korea may have used material support from Russia to finish the project, reflecting closer ties between the two countries during Russia's ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

North Korean state media reported the completion ceremony took place on Tuesday and was attended by leader Kim Jong-un, his wife Ri Sol-ju, their daughter, widely believed to be Kim Ju-ae, and his sister Kim Yo-jong. The event marked Ri’s first public appearance since New Year’s Day 2024.

According to the Korean Central News Agency, the resort is equipped with hotels and inns capable of accommodating around 20,000 people, offering a range of options for both domestic and international visitors.

Russian Ambassador Alexandr Matsegora and embassy officials were invited as special guests, underscoring Pyongyang’s focus on Russian tourists. A Unification Ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “Operations are expected to gradually expand to include Russian tourists, beginning with domestic tourism on July 1.”

“The fact that the Russian ambassador was invited and highlighted also appears to have been intended with Russian tourists in mind,” the official added.

Tourism has long been seen by Pyongyang as a key source of foreign currency. While tourism itself does not violate UN sanctions, operations involving bulk cash transfers or joint ventures with North Korean entities could breach existing resolutions. UN Security Council Resolution 2270 prohibits bulk cash transfers to North Korea, while Resolution 2375 bans new joint ventures with its entities or individuals.

The Unification Ministry official explained that tourism by individual Russians paying their own expenses on a cost-reimbursement basis would not be considered a sanctions violation.

North Korea initially designated the area along the coast connecting Wonsan and Mount Kumgang as a tourist zone in 2014. Ground was broken for the Wonsan-Kalma resort in May 2015 with the goal of completing it by April 15, 2019, to mark the birth anniversary of Kim Il-sung. However, construction faced repeated delays due to difficulties in securing materials under sanctions and was suspended entirely during the COVID-19 pandemic until last year.

Analysts say Russia’s material support could have facilitated the resort’s completion. “Since North Korea's involvement in the Ukraine war, it is believed the country has received various forms of material support from Russia — support that may have contributed economically to the completion of the Wonsan-Kalma tourist zone,” the Unification Ministry official said.

The official noted North Korea may actively seek to attract Russian tourists as part of its economic strategy, but warned of logistical challenges. “Due to various limitations in transportation infrastructure, the maximum number of people who could travel via Pyongyang to the Wonsan-Kalma coastal zone in a single day would be around 170.”

Meanwhile, there has been no progress in resuming Chinese group tours to North Korea, which have been suspended since January 2020 at the onset of the pandemic. “We are also monitoring the potential resumption of large-scale Chinese group tours to North Korea, but no concrete signs have emerged yet,” the official said.

The opening of Wonsan-Kalma to domestic travellers marks a milestone for North Korea’s tourism ambitions, with eyes now set firmly on Russian visitors to fill its hotels and beaches in the coming months.

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