North Korea prohibits foreign tourists from access to its new seaside resort

North Korea has “temporarily” prohibited foreign tourists with access to a large seaside resort recently open. Moreover, said the country’s tourism administration, a few days after the visit of the Russian diplomacy chief in the region.

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This large tourist area of the East Coast opened its doors to North Korean visitors at the beginning of the month, enjoying abundant coverage in the state media. Moreover, Qualified as “North Korean Waikiki” by the South Korean media. Similarly, the vast coastal complex of Wonsan-Kalma can accommodate some 20,000 people, according to Pyongyang.

“Foreign tourists are temporarily accepted. ” said the National Tourism Administration in a statement published this week north korea prohibits foreign tourists on an official website, without giving more details.

Visits to Russian tourist groups are expected during the month, according to the state media. Last year. North Korea authorized Russian tourists to return for the first time from the pandemic and Western tour operators returned briefly in February of this year.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has shown great interest in the local tourism industry during its early years in power. the development of the Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist area representing a key project.

Wonsan will be considered “one of the biggest successes of this year”. North Korea will be of other large -scale tourist areas “as soon as possible,” said Kim Jong before the opening of the site.

In South Korea. the Seoul Ministry of Unification said he expected international tourism to the new seaside resort “is probably of low magnitude” due to the limited capacity of available flights.

Last north korea prohibits foreign tourists week. Kim spoke with the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergei Lavrov, in Wonsan where he offered Moscow his total and “unconditional” support for the war in Ukraine, reported the official North Corean agency KCNA.

Mr. Lavrov would have welcomed the seaside resort project. described as “good tourist attraction”, adding that he would become popular among local and Russian visitors looking for new destinations.

Moscow had previously announced that it was going to set up flights twice a week between Moscow and Pyongyang.