Overview

• The Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Area opened to North Koreans on July 1 and hosted its first group of Russian tourists on July 11
• On July 18 the DPR Korea Tour website announced that foreign visitors are “temporarily not accepted” at the complex without a set reopening date
• Satellite imagery and expert reports show several hotels and amenities remain unfinished, a factor officials cite for the entry suspension
• Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pledged on July 12 to boost Russian tourist flows to the resort before the ban took effect
• Analysts warn that barring international guests threatens the resort’s ability to recoup its investment and sustain operations