North Koreahas unexpectedly prevented foreign visitors from accessing its recently launched vacation resort, only a few weeks after advertising the coastal getaway as a 'top-tier tourist and cultural location.'
The sudden change occurs just days following Russian Foreign Minister SergeiLavrovvisited the site on July 12, where he was welcomed by the North Korean leaderKim Jong Un, who referred to Lavrov as the resort's 'first international visitor.'
The official tourism website of North Korea, DRP Korea Tour, stated on Wednesday that foreign tourists are "temporarily not allowed" at the Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Area, without explaining the cause of this limitation.
The resort, situated on the eastern coast of the country close to an airport in the Gangwon Province, officially commenced operations on June 24 after years of delays due to international sanctions and theCovid-19 pandemic.
Originally planned to open in April 2019, aligning with the anniversary of North Korea's founder, Kim Il Sung, the resort was intended to serve as a significant boost for the country's struggling tourism sector.
North Korean official media has referred to the project as a 'national treasure-level city' and one of the country's most significant achievements this year.
Spanning 2.5 miles of white-sand shoreline, the resort is said to be able to hold as many as 20,000 guests and includes more than 40 hotels, lodgings, and recreational amenities inspired by those seen in global beach locations.
When the resort initially opened, Kim was captured on camera standing on a sandy shore with his daughter and likely successor, Kim Ju Ae.
However, although there was much publicity about the opening, and early accounts of local tourists appreciating the facilities, experts and satellite photos indicate the resort might still not be completely ready.
The 38 North initiative, based in the United States, noted that various structures, including a significant hotel close to the Kalmaegi Hotel, seem to be incomplete or not in use, with one rooftop pool still vacant and some unidentified buildings absent from official maps.
The temporary halt for foreign visitors sparks doubts regarding the resorts' preparedness and Pyongyang's approach to advancing global tourism.
Russia is the only nation whose citizens have been allowed to enter since North Korea lifted its pandemic-related border controls. A Russian travel agency had reportedly planned two more group tours for August.
During Lavrov's trip, Russian media highlighted the resort's amenities, although a reporter from Kommersant noted that the beach seemed mostly empty.
A different Russian media outlet stated that local North Koreans were employed to mimic tourist behavior during the visit.
Tourism serves as a scarce and delicate source of foreign exchange for North Korea, which continues to face significant global restrictions.
Experts recommend that the present restriction on international travelers is expected to continue if Pyogyang aims to recover the expenses of the prominent initiative.
"If foreign tourists are not permitted to visit the site, then Russian rubles, Chinese yuan, and dollars will not flow in. Consequently, North Korea will be unable to maintain a balance and will have to close the resort," said Ahn Chan Il, director of the World Institute for North Korean Studies think tank based in Seoul.
The official authorities from North Korea have not issued any formal clarification regarding the abrupt change in policy.
Nevertheless, certain analysts think the action indicates ongoing construction problems or worries that international tourists might observe circumstances that do not meet the standards shown by official media.
Rachel Minyoung Lee, a non-resident fellow at 38 North, stated that the inauguration of the Wonsan-Kalma resort aims to reinforce state communication regarding Kim Jong Un's 'people-first' policy, while maintaining his ongoing emphasis on military growth.
"Wonsan-Kalma is currently accessible only to North Koreans, but it shouldn't come as a surprise to see Russians visiting the resort in the near future," she said to CNN.
In the meantime, the government has introduced a new railway station in Kalma to facilitate entry to the tourist area, highlighting its contribution to offering 'a significant degree of ease' for visitors.
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