North Korea's Wonsan Resort, Modeled After Spanish Vacation City, Welcomes Russian Tourists

BBC Reports: Opened to Domestic Visitors on July 1
"Aiming to Attract 1 Million Foreign Tourists Annually"

North Korea's integrated resort complex in Wonsan, Kangwon Province, which was inspired by the Spanish resort city of Benidorm, welcomed its first Russian tourists this week.

The BBC reported on the 12th (local time) that the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area, which held a grand opening ceremony on June 24 attended by State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un, opened to domestic visitors on July 1 and this week received its first Russian tourists.

The view of the large beach resort complex in Galma Coastal Tourist Area, Wonsan, Kangwon Province, North Korea, which was completed on the 26th of last month. Photo by Korean Central News Agency, Yonhap News Agency

The BBC team, posing as customers, contacted a Russian travel agency before July 7, the date known as the first tour departure for Russian tourists. As a result, they were told that 12 Russians had booked a tour package that included a visit to the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area. The cost of the week-long trip to North Korea, including three days at the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area, is about $1,800 (approximately 2.48 million KRW). This is about 60% higher than the average monthly wage of Russian workers. The travel agency also stated that two additional tour packages are scheduled for August. The BBC reported that three Russian travel agencies are selling tour packages that include a stay at the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area.

The report went on to say that North Korea conducted a prior inspection of Benidorm, a Spanish resort destination, in 2017 for the construction of the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area. Benidorm is a representative tourist city located on the Costa Blanca coast of Alicante Province, Valencia, Spain, and features theme parks and water parks. The BBC noted that one year before construction began, Chairman Kim sent a North Korean inspection team to Spain to tour the Benidorm resort, and interviewed a Spanish guide who accompanied the North Korean delegation. Matias Perez Such, who guided the North Korean team, told the BBC, "The inspection team included high-ranking politicians and many architects, and they took a lot of notes," adding, "They toured theme parks, hotels, and marinas."

Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area, Kangwon Province, North Korea. Photo by Korean Central News Agency, Yonhap News

According to the initial plans for the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area obtained by the BBC, North Korea aims to attract more than one million foreign tourists annually, with a primary focus on Chinese and Russian visitors. Maps of the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area produced by North Korea show 43 hotels along the beach, guesthouses around an artificial lake, and campgrounds. The BBC compared these plans to high-resolution satellite images, but stated that it could not verify whether all the facilities had actually been completed.

The BBC explained, "North Korea remains almost completely closed to foreign tourists, and in recent years, only a strictly controlled handful of visitors have been able to enter the country." The report added, "The Wonsan Kalma Tourist Area is seen not only as a key project to revive the stagnating economy of North Korea, which is under sanctions, but also as a means to strengthen ties with Russia, which have grown closer due to North Korea's military support for the war in Ukraine."

Meanwhile, there have been claims that North Korea mobilized so-called "shock brigades," forcing residents to work under harsh labor conditions and long hours during the construction of the resort. James Heenan, head of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in North Korea, said in an interview with the BBC, "There are reports that 'shock brigades' were used in the construction of the resort," adding, "There were also reports that, towards the end, workers were working around the clock to complete the project, and it is believed that these workers were members of the shock brigades." The BBC also cited statements from defectors, reporting that as the resort project expanded, Wonsan residents living in the designated area were evicted from their homes, and in many cases, received no compensation.