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North Korea’s Wonsan Kalma Resort Ready for Foreign Tourists

North Korea's Wonsan Kalma Resort Ready for Foreign Tourists
North Korea's Wonsan Kalma Resort Ready for Foreign Tourists
Written by Harry Johnson

The project, called the “North Korean Benidorm” by analogy with the famous Spanish resort, offers clean beaches, ‘luxury hotels’ and a variety of entertainment ‘comparable to the best world resorts’.

North Korea opened its borders to tourists in December 2024, and, according to government officials, in June 2025, ‘tourist city’ of Wonsan Kalma, a large resort on the east coast of the country, will begin to welcome guests.

The project, called the “North Korean Benidorm” by analogy with the famous Spanish resort, offers clean beaches, ‘luxury hotels’ and a variety of entertainment ‘comparable to the best world resorts’.

Wonsan Kalma resort complex consists of approximately 150 hotels, dining establishments, and attractions that are currently under construction along the 5-kilometer stretch of Myongsasimni beach, located near the city of Wonsan on the eastern coast. There hotels, restaurants, spas, shops, a water park, a cinema, a stadium and even an airfield.

A special feature of the resort complex is the view of the missile test site where ballistic missiles are tested.

The construction was planned to be completed in 2020, but the deadline was postponed due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The resort is located 160 kilometers (100 miles) from Pyongyang, in a picturesque bay among the Kumgangsan Mountains. Nearby is the Masikryong ski resort and hotel.

The resort is suitable for tourists with different income levels: there are both budget options and VIP cottages with luxurious amenities. A full seven-day tour with flights, meals and excursions will cost $2,000 per person. The swimming season lasts from June to September.

The Wonsan Kalma resort is positioned as a symbol of the country’s economic breakthrough. North Korea actively promotes tourism that is not subject to UN sanctions and uses it to attract foreign currency. In 2024, the state tourism agency released an advertising video featuring foreign tourists enjoying their vacation.

North Korean officials’ initial focus was primarily on attracting South Korean and Chinese tourists, when the construction of the resort started seven years ago . But, despite the amicable diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China and the reopening of North Korea’s borders after the global COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese tourist groups have failed to materialize.

The prospect of luring back South Koreans tourists remains highly improbable without a significant political advancement.

However, the newly arrived Russian tourists who have already participated in several limited day trips to Wonsan Kalma are now the focus of North Korean authorities, although, the Russians represent a significantly smaller potential revenue stream than the Chinese or South Korean visitors.

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