NORTH KOREA BANS FOREIGN TOURISTS FROM NEW BEACH RESORT
North Korea has abruptly banned foreign tourists from accessing its newly opened beach resort, just weeks after launching the facility with great fanfare. The Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone, located on the country’s eastern coastline, was intended to showcase North Korea’s ability to build a modern, world-class tourist attraction. However, despite the government’s heavy promotion, international visitors are now barred from entering the complex without any clear explanation.
The Wonsan-Kalma resort officially opened on July 1, 2025, after years of construction and delays. It features luxury hotels, swimming pools, shopping centers, an amusement park, and other high-end recreational facilities. North Korean state media described the development as a symbol of national pride and economic ambition, comparing it to global tourist hotspots like Spain’s Benidorm or Italy’s Amalfi Coast. The project was part of North Korea’s broader effort to diversify its economy through tourism, which has historically been limited and tightly controlled.
Shortly after opening, the resort welcomed a small group of Russian tourists in what was seen as a diplomatic and promotional milestone. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also visited the site during his official trip to Pyongyang, giving it a public relations boost. However, within days of this visit, North Korea’s official tourism website quietly updated its status, stating that the resort would no longer receive foreign tourists “for the time being.” No specific reason or timeline for lifting the ban was provided.
Observers and analysts have speculated several possible explanations for the sudden reversal. Some believe the North Korean regime may have grown concerned about negative foreign media coverage, particularly after a Russian journalist described the resort as being filled with state-mobilized actors instead of genuine vacationers. Others point to logistical and financial challenges, including a lack of infrastructure to handle large-scale foreign tourism, as well as weak demand from international travelers amid global economic uncertainty.
Additionally, North Korea’s sensitivity to foreign perception and its obsession with controlling its image could have played a role. Opening up even a limited tourist zone might expose inconsistencies between the official narrative and on-the-ground realities, something the regime seeks to avoid. The closure could also be linked to internal security concerns or the desire to avoid negative fallout from the memory of past incidents involving foreigners, such as the death of American student Otto Warmbier in 2017.
Despite the ban on foreign tourists, domestic tourism appears to continue. State media continues to celebrate the resort as a success, and the country has been encouraging internal travel to boost morale and promote national pride.
In conclusion, while the Wonsan-Kalma resort was meant to be a flagship project signaling a new era of economic openness, the sudden ban on foreign visitors highlights North Korea’s continued struggle between modernization and authoritarian control. Unless reversed, the move could undermine the country’s hopes of gaining much-needed foreign currency through tourism, particularly from friendly nations like Russia and China.