North Korea to open beach resort as Kim bets on tourism

North Korea is opening its long-delayed Wonsan Kalma beach resort to domestic tourists on 1 July, hoping to boost tourism despite sanctions and economic struggles. Built on the east coast, the resort can reportedly host 20,000 visitors along a 4 km beach, though its features remain unverified. Leader Kim Jong Un, who grew up in Wonsan, wants to transform the area. Foreign tourism remains limited, mainly attracting Chinese and Russian visitors, the BBC has reported. The opening follows closer ties with Russia, including a resumed train route and reported North Korean troop support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.