Construction of the resort began in 2018 under Kim Jong-un’s personal directive to boost tourism revenue as part of the country’s byungjin strategy, a dual focus on economic development and nuclear power.

The opening, at the beginning of the month, was attended by Kim Jong-un, his daughter Kim Ju-ae, his wife Ri Sol-ju, Russian ambassador Alexander Matsegora and other embassy staff. Direct flights between Moscow and Pyongyang were expected to begin later in July.

Kim hailed the resort as ‘one of the greatest successes of the year’, a ‘proud first step’ in revitalising tourism, and personally appeared in the promotional campaign highlighting its beachfront hotels, water park, shopping centres and capacity to host 20,000 visitors annually.

Shortly before the policy reversal, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov visited North Korea for what were described as ‘complex talks’ with his counterpart, Cho Son-hui, that no doubt extended beyond tourism. Although Lavrov praised the new resort as a ‘good tourist attraction’ and said, ‘I am sure Russian tourists will be increasingly eager to come here’, foreign access was revoked soon after his visit.

No official explanation was given for the sudden change, prompting widespread speculation. A Russian tour guide had already announced scheduled trips to the site, which have now been postponed. Earlier this year, small tourist groups from Australia, France, Germany and the United Kingdom were briefly allowed into North Korea, only to be barred again weeks later.

Some analysts believe the decision was prompted by negative media coverage. A Russian journalist reportedly claimed the resort appeared ‘fake’ and suggested that the visitors had been ‘mobilised’ by authorities rather than being genuine tourists. ‘The regime likely determined that opening the resort to foreigners would bring negative consequences’, said Oh Gyeong-seob of the Korea Institute for National Unification.

Others point to logistical and economic issues. Lee Sang-keun of the Institute for National Security Strategy cited the cost and difficulty of travelling from Russia, combined with the extremely strict rules imposed on visitors by North Korean authorities.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, more than 90 percent of foreign tourists to North Korea came from China. The Wonsan-Kalma resort was seen as a way to diversify its visitor base and attract hard currency. Tourism remains one of the few sectors not directly targeted by UN sanctions, and revenues reportedly increased by 400 percent between 2014 and 2019.

Human rights groups have condemned the conditions under which the resort was built, citing forced labour, harsh working environments and inadequate compensation for workers.

Many observers believe the ban will be temporary. ‘If foreign tourists aren’t allowed in, then no Russian rubles, Chinese yuan or US dollars will come in either. North Korea can’t break even and will have to shut it down’, explained Ahn Chan-il, head of the World Institute for North Korean Studies.

For now, North Korea’s dream riviera remains off limits to the world.

L’article North Korea’s seaside resort closes to foreigner tourists, weeks after opening est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Although plans for the Wonsan-Kalma resort on North-Korea’s east coast were first announced in 2014, it took a while for the project to be completed. Construction works started in 2018 and were scheduled to finish in 2019 but due to the pandemic, international sanctions, and material supply issues the completion took six years longer than expected.

Now, on 1 July 2025, the resort will finally be opening its doors to visitors. According to North Korea state media KCNA, Wonsan-Kalma includes a selection of water slides, hotels, restaurants, and shopping centres catered to tourists. Overall, the 4 kilometer-long stretch of coastline should be able to welcome 20,000 visitors, although those numbers haven’t been verified by independent sources.

State leader Kim Jong Un has a special bound with Wonsan, as he grew up in the region, where many of North Korea’s elite have private villas. For years, he has tried to transform the town, once home to a missile testing site. This might explain his presence during the opening of the resort, where he was photographed next to one of the pools, alongside with a pack of cigarettes, a cold drink, and a towel.

Kim Jong Un wasn’t the only official present during the opening. He was accompanied by his daughter Kim Ju Ae and his wife Ri Sol Ju, as well as by the Russian ambassador Alexander Matsegora and embassy staff. According to the British newspaper The Independent, state media said the site should be “recorded as one of the greatest successes this year” and “should play a leading role in establishing the tourist culture” of North Korea.

According to KCNA, Kim Jong Un was very pleased by the resort. He sees it as the first step in developing cultural tourism in North Korea and more large-scale tourist areas would soon be unveiled by the government.

“Kim Jong Un expressed belief that the wave of happiness to be raised in the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone would enhance its attractive name as a world-level tourist cultural resort,” KCNA stated.

North Korea’s tourism industry

While North Korea still hasn’t fully reopened its borders to international visitors since the pandemic, tourism is an important source of income for the country. As many of its economic activities are restricted by UN sanctions, tourism is one of the only ways to earn foreign currency.

However, it is unclear which tourists will be able to visit the new beach resort. Since February 2024, North Korea has reopened it borders to Russian tourists as the two countries are developing their relationship. The return of Chinese tourists still staggers, even though Chinese group tours once made up the majority of international visitors in the country. Aside from a temporary reopening to Western visitors in February 2025, North Korea largely remains closed to anyone but Russian nationals.

L’article North Korea opens 4 kilometer-long beach resort at Wonsan-Kalma est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

UNESCO Global Geoparks are unified geographical zones of internationally significant geological sites. These parks are mandated through a strategy that balances protection, education, and sustainable development. By linking their geological heritage with their natural and cultural assets, they promote awareness of global challenges such as climate change mitigation and sustainable resource management.

This designation is valid for 4 years, after which UNESCO has to conduct a thorough review of the park’s functionality. Notably, Mount Paektu is North Korea’s first site to receive this recognition.

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Han Ki-ho, a professor at the Ajou Institute for Unification, explained that UNESCO probably saw the area’s glacially carved valleys and volcanic formations as crucial, noting that “the presence of active geological processes — especially with Mount Paektu being an active volcano — increases its scientific value.”

Beyond geology, Mount Paektu carries deep symbolism in North Korea. Interestingly, the volcanic mountain is central to the ruling Kim dynasty’s political mythology. According to state narratives, Kim’s grandfather, Kim II Sung, based his anti-Japanese military campaign on the mountain. North Korea states that Kim Jong Un’s father, Kim Jong Il, was born at Mount Paektu, although historians think that his birthplace was Russia.

The mountain has long been a focus of environmental conservation in the country. In 1946, under North Korea’s early protection efforts, it was designated as a plant reserve for the first time. Additionally, over the years, it gained additional layers of protected status. This led to UNESCO recognizing Mount Paektu as a Biosphere Reserve in 1989. A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is a designated area encompassing **land-based**, marine, or coastal ecosystems that promotes a balanced relationship between people and nature through biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, and knowledge sharing.

Whether foreigners will be able to visit the newly designated geopark remains unclear. However, Russian tourists may be among the first to have this opportunity, having in mind the relationship between Russia and North Korea.

This recognition follows a similar move in 2024, when UNESCO designated the Chinese side of the mountain as a global geopark, under its Chinese name Changbaishan.  The geopark is a place to study volcanic activity. It features striking landforms and a wide variety of rock formations that reveal the history of many important eruptions. Among these is an eruption that occurred approximately 1,000 years ago, which stands out as one of the most powerful volcanic events in recent history.

L’article UNESCO designates Mount Paektu in North Korea as a Global Geopark est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The Pyongyang International Marathon had been around since 1981, when it was first organised in the month of April in order to celebrate the birthday of the country’s founding leader Kim Il Sung on 15 April. The 2019 marathon welcomed 950 foreign runners but also temporarily marked the end of the event as, when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, the already reclusive national shut its borders.

Since then, North Korea has been slow to reopen its borders to foreigners. In 2024, Russian tourists were the first to be allowed back in and at the start of 2025, new group tours for tourists were introduced and then once again quickly suspended. 

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Those who participated in the marathon on Sunday (whether in the 5K, 10K, Half or Full Marathon) were also obliged to do so by participating through an organised group tour. A six-day marathon tour by official partner Koryo Tours, a Beijing-based travel agency, costs € 2,195, including flights to and from Beijing. During the marathon, runners ran past some of Pyongyang’s highlights such as the Kim Il Sung Stadium, the Arch of Triumph, and the Mirae Future Scientists’ Street. 

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“The Pyongyang Marathon is an extremely unique experience as it provides an opportunity to interact with locals. An experience truly like no other,” Koryo Tours wrote on its website.

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According to state media KCNA news agency, those who participated came from China, Romania, Ethiopia, and other destinations around the world. Koryo Tours stated the Kim Il Sung Stadium where the athletes finished the race was with a crowd of 50,000 locals. 

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Official race results haven’t been shared but according to marathons.fr, North Korean runner Pak Kum Dong won the gold metal. Ethiopian Bekele Metaferia ended second, while another North Korean national Kwang Myong Jon completed the top three. The women’s race was won by North Korean runner Jon Su Gyong. North Koreans Choe Il Gyong and ChaJu Kwon ended second and third, respectively. 

L’article For the first time in six years, North Korea organises international marathon est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

China-based KTG Tours, which specialises in North Korean tours, confirmed the suspension, stating on Facebook:”Just received news from our Korean partners that Rason is closed to everyone. We will keep you posted.”

Brief reopening amid prolonged isolation

In February 2025, North Korea reopened its borders to a select group of international tourists, marking the end of a five-year closure prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The group, comprising individuals from countries including the UK, France, Germany, and Australia, embarked on a tightly controlled tour of the Rason Special Economic Zone.

Their itinerary included visits to local markets, cultural performances, and guided interactions with residents, all closely monitored by North Korean authorities. Tour operators had initially seen this as a cautious step towards reopening the country to international visitors.

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The abrupt cessation of foreign tours to Rason has led to widespread speculation regarding the North Korean government’s motivations. While no official explanation has been provided by Pyongyang, experts suggest possible internal policy reassessments or external diplomatic pressures.

A BBC report on the situation highlights that travel agencies were caught off guard, with one operator stating: “We have not been given any reason for the decision. All we know is that tours are no longer possible.”

Some analysts believe that the move could be linked to security concerns, political instability, or a shift in economic policy. Others suggest that North Korea is testing international reactions before fully reopening its borders.

Impact on North Korea’s tourism aspirations

The initial reopening of Rason was widely perceived as a tentative step towards revitalizing North Korea’s tourism sector, which had been severely impacted by the pandemic and ongoing international sanctions.

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The sudden suspension raises concerns over the country’s readiness to welcome foreign visitors on a larger scale. If the closure continues, it could discourage future tourism interest and complicate relations with foreign travel agencies investing in North Korea’s limited tourism infrastructure.

Historical context of Rason’s economic significance

Rason, located near the borders with China and Russia, has been designated as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) since the early 1990s. It was meant to serve as a controlled environment for foreign investment and trade, with limited market-driven policies in contrast to the rest of North Korea’s rigidly state-controlled economy.

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For years, the city has been a rare location where foreign visitors— mostly Chinese and Russian businessmen — could interact with North Korean markets. The recent developments could disrupt future investment and tourism prospects in the region.

Future of tourism in North Korea

The suspension of foreign tours to Rason underscores the unpredictability of North Korea’s tourism policies. Tour operators and potential visitors are now advised to exercise caution, as the status of future tours remains uncertain.

For now, international tour agencies continue to monitor the situation closely, awaiting further clarification from North Korean authorities. Until an official statement is released, the future of tourism in North Korea remains as uncertain as ever.

L’article North Korea halts foreign tours weeks after reopening est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

While South Korea’s Unification Ministry says 880 Russian visitors went to the Democratic People’s Republic during 2024, other international visitors have remained unwelcome since the outbreak of Covid-19, when diplomats were ejected and border traffic ground to a halt.

Economic growth through detente

International isolation is not unfamiliar in the northern half of the Korean Peninsula, given the country is a totalitarian dictatorship centred on the ruling Kim family and the concept of Juche or self-reliance. Russian tourists have been encouraged due to an ongoing rapprochement between North Korea and Russia that has also seen military cooperation over the Ukraine war. And even real estate magnate and US President Donald Trump, who claims a positive rapport with Kim Jong Un, has noted the republic’s vast shoreline and “tremendous condo capabilities”.

Now 13 tourists from as far and wide as Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, New Zealand, and the UK, have been allowed in, which some say could signal a detente in relations with the outside world.

What was the tour like?

The visitors arrived via China on a tour organised by Beijing-headquartered Koryo Tours. Following an itinerary published earlier in February they went to Rason, a port city on the Sea of Japan and a special economic zone intended to promote growth through foreign investment.

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“Since January of 2020, the country has been closed to all international tourists, and we are glad to have finally found an opening in the Rason area, in the far north of North Korea,” Koryo Tours General Manager Simon Cockerell told press.

Taken on trips to factories, schools and shops, the Koryo guests will have had little freedom to explore independently and been accompanied by official escorts. They also were expected to pay tribute to the country’s former Supreme Leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il by visiting statues.

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Chinese tourism will be gamechanger

Though North Korea appears to be moving towards a pro-tourism strategy, witness promotional videos that went viral for their strange atmosphere last year and the arrival of Russian guests, commentators point out the real gamechanger will be opening back up to China – the country’s biggest source market for tourists, accounting for over 90% of visitors according to South Korean intelligence data from the Institute for National Security Strategy. The fact that it is a Beijing firm that has led this first international tour for half a decade is promising in that respect.

L’article Small group of international tourists allowed into North Korea for first time in five years est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

It is the port city of Rason on the East Sea that is inviting guests as part of a five-day itinerary organised by Koryo Tours, a firm that has been operating in the Democratic People’s Republic since 1993. While four-night, five-night and seven-night “sample tours” are currently showing on Koryo’s website, the new tour has been advertised differently.

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Mountains, seal-spotting and taekwondo

It promises to take visitors into the heart of what is a Special Economic Zone, where trials of a more open and capitalist approach to economic and social policy have taken place, including North Korea’s very first mobile network and card payment system.

Experiences supposedly on offer include setting foot into Korea’s sacred mountain culture with a hike on Mount Shahyang, seaside walks and a seal-spotting boat trip, a trip to the Rason School Uniform Factory, and Taekwondo lessons. The tour is also intended to “celebrate one of the biggest holidays, Kim Jong Il’s Birthday.”

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However, would-be tourists to North Korea should be aware that at the time of writing, on the day the tour was due to begin, the Koryo website still had not confirmed that it would take place or that the itinerary would be as described. Prior to setting out, tourists are required to attend a pre-tour briefing that covers regulations, etiquette, safety, and practicalities for travel in North Korea. If tours do go ahead, they will be accompanied by government escorts and are unlikely to offer any freedom to go “off-piste.” 

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Opening eyes and minds?

Nonetheless, Koryo Tours’ General Manager and Tour Leader Simon Cockerell, speaking to The Independent in 2024, highlighted the positives that tourism can bring both to guests and hosts, noting that visitors help to “open eyes and open minds, and these are things that should be promoted”. 

In terms of official travel advice, the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) is clear that it discourages “all but essential travel to North Korea”. This could mean that travellers who decide to try out the trip anyway will be unable to claim on insurance policies should something go wrong. In addition, many foreign missions and embassies remain shuttered, meaning help on the ground could be limited.

L’article North Korea set to open borders to tourists after five-year Covid ban est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Pivot towards Russia

Launched by the state-owned Korea International Travel Company, the advert, which has appeared on social media hub Reddit, is the latest step in a series of moves to promote Russian tourism in North Korea, which opened up to Russian visitors in early 2024 – a surprise move ahead of opening up to its biggest market, China. 

The country, whose 2023 GDP was estimated by neighbouring South Korea to be 12% down on 2016, has pivoted away from rapprochement with the south towards increasing “inter-regional economic cooperation on a higher stage” with Russia. Still, it is preparing to open up more to other “friendly” nations. The latest advert has certainly grabbed wider attention.

Awkward performances and no mics on an empty beach

Said to be filmed at Majeon Beach, about a three and a half hour road trip from Pyongyang, the ad opens with a young blonde woman opening her curtains to a mist-infused sunny beachside morning. She heads out for a workout on the sands, before joining a group of Russian friends for various activities including swimming, jet skiing, jogging, and playing beach volleyball. Towards the end of the film, two of the group are shown talking to each other Russian as they stroll along the shore, but their unmic’d words are drowned out by the sound of crashing waves.

The sound quality is just one aspect of the advert that online commenters found bizarre. The participants’ awkward performances were deemed not to be “selling it,” while the beach setting appears completely devoid of other visitors. This prompts viewers to point out the disturbing loneliness of the scene with what one describes sarcastically as “so many happy locals around.” Another asks, “Where are all the North Koreans?”

Cries of seagulls

Depicting Russian tourists in bikinis is another feature of the advert that raised eyebrows, with many social media users highlighting that bikinis are banned in North Korea. In contrast, others suggest that the country turns a blind eye to foreigners wearing bikinis.

But perhaps oddest of all, is the choice of theme music. What starts as a generic but calming and uplifting keyboard composition, interspersed with the cries of seagulls, becomes increasingly horrifying as the birds’ haunting calls seem to become louder and more frequent. “If I go here, I would disappear 1000%”, one Reddit user responded.

L’article North Korea releases awkward tourist ad featuring Russian tourists at the beach est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The DPRK’s Covid policy has been so strict that it did not even allow its own citizens to return home for more than three years. North Koreans only started being allowed back into the country at the end of August 2023. The same month, the first commercial flights to leave North Korea in over 3 years departed Pyongyang, one headed to Beijing and another headed to the Russian city of Vladivostok.

From the beginning of this year, Russian tourists have been allowed to visit the country, but, as of December, citizens of other “friendly nations” will be permitted to enter North Korea, starting with the northern city of Samjiyon.

“We have just been told that tourists will be able to go to Samjiyon (Mt. Paektu area) this winter”, Shenyang-based KTG Tours wrote on Facebook on 14 August. “Exact dates to be confirmed. So far just Samjiyon has been officially confirmed but we think that Pyongyang and other places will open too!!!”

“We have received confirmation from our local partner that tourism to Samjiyon and potentially the rest of the country will officially resume in December 2024”, Beijing-based Koryo Tours announced on their website on the same day. “Having waited for over four years to make this announcement, Koryo Tours is very excited for the opening of North Korean tourism once again.”

Samjiyon lies at the foothills of Mount Paektu, the tallest in the country, and is the least populated city in North Korea. Known as a winter destination, Kim Jong Un has been aiming to redevelop the area to “revitalise international tourism”.

“Kim Jong Un set forth important tasks for face-lifting Samjiyon to be a new and innovative cultured city in the light of the daily-growing requirements of today’s reality”, the Pyongyang Times reported in July. “Unveiling the Party’s plan to develop it into a typical mountainous city in the northern part of the country, a characteristic combined four-season mountainous tourist resort, to meet the cultural and emotional demands of the people on the highest level and revitalize international tourism, he said that the grand nature of the Mt Paektu area consisting of mountains and primeval forests is our precious resource, of which we can feel proud.”

Although getting accurate estimates is difficult and different sources offer different numbers, before the Covid-19 pandemic the country reportedly welcomed about 120,000 Chinese visitors per year and an additional 5,000 visitors from Western countries.

L’article North Korea to partially reopen to tourists in December 2024 est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Winter sports paradise

Starting on 9 February 2024, a luxury yet family-oriented ski trip to Masikryong Ski Resort close to the capital Pyongyang is the offer from Russian travel agency Vostok Intur. The company usually focuses on trips to China but has now expanded its menu to include a four-day, $750 tour to the North Korean “paradise for winter sports lovers”, as well as museums, temples and a crash course in “Juche” – the North Korean socio-political philosophy of “self-reliance”.

In a defiant sign of just that self-reliance, North Korea has not trumpeted a more general re-opening, despite South Korean estimates that the North’s economy was in recession between 2020 and 2022 and GDP in 2023 was 12% below 2016.

North Korea remains, after all, under a long-isolated and secretive regime. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, limited tourism was allowed and involved heavily-monitored access and activities, with China seen as the country’s economic lifeline and closest international comrade.

“Inter-regional economic cooperation”

The unexpected move follows a September rendez-vous between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin, and a December 2023 meeting between Moscow’s Maritime Territory Administration governor, Oleg Kozhemyako and Pyongyang’s External Economic Relations Minister Yun Jong Ho.

The agenda? Not only the “clean mountain air and magnificent views” promoted by Vostok Intur, but rather “inter-regional economic cooperation between the two countries on a higher stage,” according to the Korean state news agency.

Abandonment of South Korean relations

The development coincides too, with the announcement that North Korea is no longer pursuing any rapprochement with South Korea and, worse, has “”no intention of avoiding” conflict or war with the South.

China is still widely seen as North Korea’s best potential source of foreign currency earnings, with Chinese visitors representing 90% of international visitors to North Korea before the pandemic and bringing in between $90 million and $150 million in 2019.

Exchange of weapons?

Yet new ties are being formed between the East Asian dictatorship and Russia. These may not be “as financially lucrative” as the eventual return of the Chinese tourist market, according to Professor Leif-Eric Easley, of Ewha University in Seoul, but fostering the perception of closer ties with Moscow is no bad thing for Un, who likely welcomes the widely-believed analysis that the two international pariah nations are partnering to exchange weapons and technology.

L’article Russian tourists invited to North Korea’s winter “paradise” amid ongoing regional power-play est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.