Overview

• An official DPR Korea Tour notice posted July 16 stated that the Wonsan-Kalma zone “is temporarily not receiving foreign tourists” without specifying reasons or a reopening date.
• Since its June 24 opening, the resort has served domestic visitors and hosted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on July 12 as its first foreign guest.
• Analysts point to steep package costs of about $1,800 per week, disappointing foreign uptake and reports of incomplete buildings as likely drivers of the sudden ban.
• The sprawling complex features some 7,000 guest rooms across luxury hotels and villas, an outdoor waterpark and an airport, with capacity for up to 20,000 visitors.
• Developed under Kim Jong Un’s tourism initiative but delayed by sanctions and Covid-19, the resort’s foreign-visitor suspension underscores Pyongyang’s challenges in generating revenue through tourism.