North Korea opened a large tourist area in its east coast, state media announced on Wednesday, July 2.
Northcorean “waikiki” by the South Korean media, the Wonsan-Kalma site can accommodate almost 20,000 people, according to Pyongyang, which previously described it as “a world-class cultural station.”
North Korean leader Kim Jong has shown great interest in the local tourism industry during his first years of power, the development of Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourism area that represents a key project.
The coastal complex opened to the tourists of North Korea on Tuesday, the official KCNA agency reported, with images that show smiling families in colored swimsuits enjoying the beach. The North Koreans of all ages, from all over the country, came to the site this week, “full of joy before the idea of discovering a new level of civilization,” he praised Kcna.
Russian tourists were expected
Visitors were “amazed by the greatness and splendor of the tourist city, where more than 400 (…) artistically designed buildings border the white sand beach in an ideal harmony,” describes the same source. According to the Yonhap South Korean news agency, a group of Russian tourists must visit the coastal complex for the first time on July 7.
The South Korean Unification Ministry, which supervises relations with North Korea, also said that site activities “should be extended gradually,” including Russian tourists.
Kim Jong-un said last week that the construction of the site would be considered “one of this year’s greatest successes” and that North Korea would be from other large-scale tourist areas “as soon as possible.”
However, given the country’s limited air capacity, international tourism to the new coastal complex “will probably remain low magnitude,” according to the Ministry.
“Tourists will pass through Pyongyang and the number of visitors could be limited to around 170 people per day,” he said.
Pyongyang gives great importance to tourism that considers an essential source of foreign currencies, underlines the Ministry, and North Korea may have received material support from Russia to participate in the war in Ukraine.
Source: BFM TV
