GRINNING KIM JONG UN SURVEYS PLANS FOR HIS NEW TOURIST RESORT

• The Wonsan-Kalma zone is one of Kim's most talked-about tourism projects

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was grinning as he surveyed plans for his new tourist resort being constructed on the country's eastern coast before strolling on an immaculate white sand beach.

The Wonsan-Kalma zone is one of Kim's most talked-about tourism projects since the plans were announced in 2015 and North Korea has been building luxury hotels and recreational facilities there to create a key attraction for international visitors.

But the project reportedly suffered setbacks due to shortages of construction materials as a result of toughened UN sanctions and Covid restrictions.

Kim toured the Wonsan-Kalma zone with top deputies this week and discussed preparations for its opening by May 2025 as decided by a ruling party meeting in January, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.

The dictator was pictured walking along an immaculate white beach in the resort, which is located next to a rocket-testing site.

'A coastal wonderland to be known to the world as the best tourist resort of (North Korea) would be successfully built,' Kim was quoted as saying by KCNA. It cited Kim as saying construction has entered its final stages.

The dictator wants the Benidorm-style resort near one of North Korea's best-known beach, Songwodon, to be up and running within months. The resort will be kitted out with water parks, hotels and an airfield. 

Kim's inspiration came after his officials were left 'amazed' during a research trip to Spain's Costa Blanca in 2017.

North Korea have previously fired rockets off launchers in Wonsan, both at the port and the adjacent airport.

Kalma airport's grounds feature two firing positions as well as an observation and parking area right next to a preparation hangar, according to Reuters.  

There are also several anti-aircraft and artillery gun emplacements stationed on the coast near the tourism projects. 

Next to the airport is an area where artillery drills are conducted, with state media reporting in 2017 that Wonsan beach was used for the country's 'largest-ever' artillery drill at the time involving '300 large-caliber self-propelled guns' opening fire at a target painted on a small offshore island. 

North Korea has been slowly easing its harsh pandemic-era curbs and entry restrictions as part of its efforts to revive its economy. 

But it still hasn't reopened its borders to foreign tourists, except for a relatively a small number of Russians who visited earlier this year as ties boomed between the two countries.

A return of Chinese travelers would likely provide a much bigger source of revenue as they represented about 90 per cent of international tourists visiting North Korea before the pandemic.

In 2019, a record 300,000 foreign tourists visited North Korea, earning the country between £70million to £115million, experts say.

The UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation said Wednesday its director-general visited North Korea from July 13 to 16, in the first trip by a UN principal since 2019. 

It said Director-General Qu Dongyu's trip was meant to strengthen its partnership with North Korea and address food security and nutrition challenges in the country.

It wasn't immediately clear when North Korea will allow the return of international staff of UN agencies. North Korea's stringent pandemic curbs included the departure of diplomats and foreign nationals.

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2024-07-18T10:51:30Z