North Korea bans foreigners from seaside resort weeks after opening

North Korea has announced that its new Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone, opened on July 1, will not receive foreign tourists for now. Initially promoted as a key part of Kim Jong Un’s tourism ambitions, the resort was expected to attract both locals and foreigners. Despite recent visits by Russian tourists and plans for direct flights from Moscow, a notice on North Korea’s tourism site now states that foreign visitors are “temporarily” banned, the BBC has reported. The resort, built since 2018, has faced criticism from human rights groups over alleged forced labor during its construction.