"North Korea Shows Signs of Dismantling Ananti Golf Course in Geumgangsan"

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] On the 11th, the US North Korea-focused media NK News reported, after analyzing photos taken by the satellite imagery service 'Planet Labs,' that North Korea appears to be dismantling the South Korean facility, Ananti Golf Course, located in Geumgangsan.

NK News stated that the photos were taken between the 9th and 10th, and it seems that the demolition work has begun on the 'Geumgangsan Ananti Golf & Hot Spring Resort' within the Geumgangsan tourism district, which was developed with an investment of about 75 million USD (approximately 92.5 billion KRW). The media outlet noted that the photos captured scenes where 10 lodging buildings appear to be partially dismantled, suggesting the possibility that North Korea may have demolished them by explosion, while the clubhouse building at the resort entrance remains intact.

This facility, located at Goseongbong in the Geumgangsan tourism district, began construction in December 2004 and opened in May 2008. The domestic specialized resort hotel company Ananti leased the land of 1,685,000 square meters from Hyundai Asan, which had leased it from North Korea, for 50 years, and built an 18-hole golf course and resort buildings. However, two months after construction, the Park Wang-ja shooting incident occurred, which led to the suspension of tourism, and the facility never reopened.

Later, during an inspection of Geumgangsan in October 2019, Chairman Kim Jong-un ordered, "Remove all the shabby South Korean facilities that make one feel bad just by looking at them." Following this, North Korea demanded through the joint liaison office in December of the same year that all South Korean facilities in Geumgangsan be dismantled by February 2020. However, the South Korean side insisted that face-to-face consultations were necessary and did not comply. After North Korea sent a notice in January 2020 postponing the dismantling to prevent the spread of COVID-19, consultations were halted.

Lee Joong-myung, chairman of the Ananti Group, declared in January last year, shortly after assuming the presidency of the Korea Golf Association, that he would push to host the 2025 World Amateur Team Championship at the Geumgangsan Ananti Golf Course. NK News reported that since North Korea has decided to dismantle the facility, it seems unlikely that this plan will be realized.

Earlier last month, news emerged that Hyundai Asan's Haegumgang Hotel, operated in Geumgangsan, was also being dismantled. The Haegumgang Hotel and Ananti Resort are 1.8 km apart. On the 8th, the Ministry of Unification expressed strong regret over North Korea's dismantling of the Haegumgang Hotel but stated, "No other facility dismantling trends have been identified yet."