"Bulgogi Party on the Taedong River: Cruise Boat Becomes Popular Summer Hotspot with Reservation Rush on Holidays"

Reservations Available by Mobile Phone
Promoting Consumption Targeting Donju and Earning Foreign Currency

Residents of Pyongyang are riding circular boats for sightseeing on the Taedong River. Photo by Choson Sinbo Yonhap News

A new product that allows people to enjoy a meal while riding a boat in the middle of the Taedong River in Pyongyang has attracted attention.

On July 7, Yonhap News, citing Choson Sinbo, the official newspaper of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, reported that sightseeing circular boat services on the Taedong River are gaining popularity.

According to the newspaper, the covered circular boats are available in six-seater and twelve-seater models, and guests can steer the boats themselves. There is a table in the center of the boat where guests can grill bulgogi, and those prone to seasickness can have their meal in the dining area at the dock instead.

Ha Borim, head of the Cruise Boat Service Office at the Maritime Administration of the Ministry of Land and Maritime Transport, said, "There is very high demand and popularity among citizens for the sightseeing circular boat service. Especially many families use the service, and those who have boarded the boat once often lose track of time because they are having so much fun."

He added, "We also offer a reservation service via mobile phone to meet customer demand, but on holidays and days off, it is sometimes difficult to keep up with the number of requests."

North Korea is utilizing the Taedong River, which runs through Pyongyang, as a tourism resource. The Taedonggangho, a cruise ship exclusively for dining that opened in April 2013, is popular among both Pyongyang residents and foreign tourists. It can accommodate over 300 people at once and is equipped with a banquet hall.

North Korea's efforts to develop such tourism products appear to be aimed at encouraging consumption and stimulating currency circulation among the wealthy class known as "donju," who have made their fortunes in the jangmadang markets. In addition, since tourism is not subject to international sanctions, it also serves as a way for North Korea to earn foreign currency.