A Mojito on the North Korean Coast? Inside Kim Jong Un’s Ambitious Wonsan Beach Resort Gamble

A New Era for North Korean Tourism? The Grand Opening of Wonsan Kalma

Did you ever imagine sipping a mojito on a North Korean beach? On July 1, 2025, North Korea officially opened the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone—a sprawling seaside resort on the country’s east coast. The opening ceremony, held on June 24, was a spectacle attended by Kim Jong Un, his wife Ri Sol Ju, and their daughter Kim Ju Ae. The event also drew Russia’s ambassador and embassy staff, signaling Pyongyang’s growing ties with Moscow. The regime’s state media hailed the project as a milestone for the nation’s tourism industry, promising a new era of economic development and global engagement. But is this really the dawn of North Korea as a beach vacation hotspot, or is there more beneath the surface?

Six Years in the Making: From Delays to Grand Ambitions

The Wonsan Kalma project was first announced in 2018 with plans for a 2019 opening, but construction delays and the COVID-19 pandemic pushed completion back by six years. The result is a resort complex stretching 4 kilometers along the coast, featuring hotels, shopping malls, water parks, restaurants, and entertainment venues. State media claim the site can accommodate up to 20,000 visitors at once, making it the largest tourism project ever attempted in North Korea. The opening is seen as a personal triumph for Kim Jong Un, who has championed tourism as a way to attract foreign currency and diversify the nation’s heavily sanctioned economy.

What’s Inside Wonsan Kalma? Facilities, Luxury, and the North Korean Touch

So what can you actually do at Wonsan Kalma? According to official reports and rare glimpses from state media, the resort offers a wide range of amenities: luxury hotels, villas, water parks, a concert hall, fitness centers, restaurants, a beer hall, and even a car wash. The architecture is a mix of modernist high-rises and classic socialist design, with sweeping views of the East Sea. The resort is being promoted as “North Korea’s Waikiki,” aiming to rival famous Asian beach destinations. However, everything is tightly controlled by the government, and the real experience is likely reserved for Pyongyang’s elite and select foreign guests.

Who Gets to Visit? Russians, Domestic Elite, and the Mystery of Foreign Access

Here’s the catch: despite the grand opening, the resort is currently open only to North Korean citizens and, reportedly, a limited number of Russian tourists. Russian travel agencies have started offering package tours, including flights, resort stays, and even side trips to the Masikryong Ski Resort. Western tourists, however, remain largely excluded, with North Korea’s borders still tightly controlled and foreign media strictly banned from the opening events. In February 2025, there was a brief reopening for Western group tourists in a special economic zone, but this was quickly shut down without explanation. For now, the dream of international beachgoers lounging in Wonsan remains out of reach.

The Regime’s Motive: Foreign Currency, Sanctions, and Image Control

Why is North Korea investing so heavily in tourism? The answer lies in the country’s desperate need for foreign currency. With UN sanctions choking off most exports, tourism is one of the few legal ways for the regime to earn hard cash. Kim Jong Un hopes that projects like Wonsan Kalma will attract not only Russian and Chinese tourists but eventually visitors from Europe and beyond. However, the government’s obsession with image control means that all foreign guests are closely monitored, interactions with locals are limited, and only a sanitized version of North Korea is shown. This duality—openness for profit, secrecy for control—defines the country’s approach to tourism.

Community Buzz: Korean Reactions and Global Curiosity

On Korean online communities, reactions to the Wonsan Kalma opening are a mix of skepticism, humor, and curiosity. On DC Inside and FM Korea, users joke about sipping mojitos under the watchful eye of security guards, while others question whether ordinary North Koreans will ever get to enjoy such luxury. Some point out the irony of building a lavish resort in a country where much of the population struggles with poverty and food shortages. On Naver and Daum blogs, travel enthusiasts express cautious interest, but most doubt they’ll ever set foot in the resort. Internationally, the story has sparked fascination—can North Korea really become the next Asian beach destination, or is this just another Potemkin village?

Cultural Context: What Foreign Fans Need to Know

If you’re a foreigner dreaming of visiting North Korea’s new beach resort, there are a few things you should know. Travel to North Korea is only possible through government-approved agencies, and most tours are tightly scripted. American and South Korean citizens are generally banned, and even for others, visas are not guaranteed. Russian and Chinese tourists have the best chance, especially as Pyongyang deepens its ties with Moscow. For now, Wonsan Kalma is more a symbol of North Korea’s ambitions than a true international destination. But if the regime ever fully opens its doors, it could offer one of the world’s most unique—and surreal—travel experiences.

Behind the Scenes: The Realities of North Korean Tourism

What’s it really like to be a tourist in North Korea? Past visitors to other resorts, like the Masikryong Ski Resort, report heavy surveillance, staged performances, and little freedom to explore. Photos are restricted, and guides carefully curate every moment. The Wonsan Kalma resort is likely no different, serving as both a showcase for the regime and a controlled environment for foreign currency inflow. The opening of the resort is a clear signal: North Korea wants to play in the global tourism market, but only on its own terms.

The Road Ahead: Will Wonsan Kalma Change North Korea’s Future?

As of July 2025, Wonsan Kalma stands as North Korea’s boldest tourism experiment yet. Whether it succeeds in attracting foreign visitors and boosting the economy remains to be seen. For now, the resort is a glittering facade—an invitation to the world, but with many strings attached. Will you ever sip a mojito on a North Korean beach? Maybe someday, but only if you’re ready for the most unusual—and closely watched—vacation of your life.