Overview

• Domestic elites began using the Wonsan-Kalma seaside resort after Kim Jong Un’s ribbon-cutting on June 24.
• The facility features waterparks, high-rise hotels and a newly linked train station and international airport, with space for almost 20,000 visitors.
• Inauguration attendees were limited to Russian officials and Pyongyang insiders, reflecting strict visitor controls.
• A first Russian tour group is due to arrive in early July under Pyongyang’s phasing plan for foreign tourism.
• The project follows previous ventures at Mount Kumgang and Samjiyon as part of a broader state-led strategy to expand tourism under sanctions.