North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has inaugurated the Wonsan-Kalma coastal resort, a state-backed tourism project years in the making, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The event marked the official opening of the beachside complex to domestic tourists on July 1, six years after its originally scheduled debut.

The sprawling resort stretches along a 2.5-mile beachfront on the country’s east coast and reportedly includes accommodations for 20,000 guests, a water park, sports and recreation areas, restaurants, and shopping facilities, according to state media outlet KCNA. 

NEW: North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un to open a beach resort this summer to boost tourism.

The resort is along a 2.5 mile stretch of beach and can host 20,000 visitors. It was completed six years after the target date.

The resort is on the east coast of North Korea and… pic.twitter.com/5B3iELyCQU

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 26, 2025

KCNA described the development as “the proud first step” in North Korea’s bid to grow its tourism sector.

“The wave of the happiness to be raised in the Wonsan Kalma coastal tourist area would enhance its attractive name as a world-level tourist cultural resort,” Kim was quoted as saying. He called the completion “one of the greatest successes this year” and stated it would help establish a “tourist culture” in the country.

The project has experienced years of construction delays since its proposed opening in October 2019 and was further impacted by North Korea’s strict COVID-19 border closures starting in early 2020. 

While Russian tourists have recently been allowed into certain areas, broader international tourism remains suspended. KCNA made no mention of when foreign tourists will be permitted, but Russian officials said the first tour group from Russia is expected to visit in July.

The ceremony was also attended by Russian ambassador Alexander Matsegora and embassy staff, reflecting North Korea’s closer alignment with Russia. 

Moscow and Pyongyang have reached an unprecedented level of mutual understanding, Russian Ambassador to North Korea Alexander Matsegora said in an interview with TASS:https://t.co/7FTCFdM7QP pic.twitter.com/jHULvc7xkM

— TASS (@tassagency_en) February 7, 2024

The two countries recently resumed direct train services and expanded tourism arrangements, while military and economic cooperation between them has intensified amid shared isolation from Western nations.

Observers say that to recover the heavy investment poured into the Wonsan-Kalma project, North Korea will eventually need to allow entry to Chinese tourists, who accounted for the majority of foreign visitors prior to the pandemic. However, no Chinese officials were noted in attendance.

Despite hosting the recent Pyongyang Marathon in April and briefly admitting international tourists earlier this year, North Korea abruptly suspended most foreign tours without explanation.

The launch of Wonsan-Kalma is being closely watched as a test case for North Korea’s ambitions to leverage tourism to offset its struggling economy, long burdened by international sanctions. Whether foreign tourists will ever get to enjoy the beaches of Wonsan remains to be seen.