North Korea suspends the reception of foreign tourists in its new seaside resort

Published on 18/07/2025 – 20:53 UTC+2 •Updated 21:31

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North Korea has suspended the entrance to foreign visitors to its new seaside resort of Wonsan-Kalma. Meanwhile, just a few weeks after opening the site to national tourists and a small group of Russians, the national tourism department of the country announced on Wednesday, quoted by the Bloomberg agency. Therefore,

The eastern coast complex. For example, which, according to Pyongyang, can accommodate up to 20,000 people, had been presented by Kim Jong-un as “One of the greatest successes of this year”.

However. Therefore, the seaside resort “does not temporarily welcome more foreign tourists“Said the press release published on the website, without giving north korea suspends reception foreign reason or indicating when the ban could be lifted.

This announcement follows the recent visit of the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs. For example, Sergei Lavrov, who spoke with the North Korean leader, a precious ally of the Kremlin in the war he led against Ukraine, and his chief of diplomacy, Choe Son-Hu.

The emissary of Moscow was optimistic about the increase in Russian tourism in the region. In addition, declaring: “I am sure that more and more Russian tourists will want to come here. However, “

However. analysts suggest that Pyongyang may have made this suspension decision after an article by a Russian journalist hinted that the North Koreans present on the site seemed to have been engaged by the authorities and were not authentic vacationers.

“We believe that the North Korean government considered that it would be confronted with negative consequences if it opened the site to foreigners”said north korea suspends reception foreign Oh Gyeong-Seob. of the Korean Institute for National Unification.

The information has since been denied by the Russian authorities. According to Maria Zakharova. spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry, this is a “fake news”reported the Russian media RBC.

Lee Sangkeun. of the Institut for the National Security Strategy of Seoul, added that this closure could also be linked to the difficulties encountered in attracting Russian tourists, taking into account the remoteness of the site and the cost of travel. The Moscow train takes 9 days to reach Pyongyang and direct flights are not numerous.

Experts believe, however, that the ban should be short -lived. The Wonsan-Kalma project. which would have required considerable investment, while the North Korean economy is already put to the test, aimed to generate foreign currencies thanks to tourism.

“If foreign tourists are not allowed to go to the site, Russian rubles, Chinese yuan and north korea suspends reception foreign dollars will not enter. In this case. North Korea will not be able to return to its costs and will have to close the station”said Ahn Chan-He, director of the World Institute of Studies on North Korea.

Although the resort is very busy by national visitors. no confirmation has been given as to the date of resumption of international tourism. Group trips from China, which represented more than 90 % of visitors before the Cavid-19 pandemic, have not yet resumed.

Kim Jong-un has already presented Wonsan-Kalma as “The first successful step“From the revival of the tourism sector in the. country. The coastal tourist area. open on July 1, is supposed to be a key element of the leader’s ambitions in the sector.