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North Korea eyeing Russian tourists for new beach resort: Seoul
North Korean leader Kim Jong-y-un (left) and his daughter Kim Ju-ae (front right) visiting the Wonsan Kalma coastal tourist area in Kangwon Province, North Korea.- AFP
SEOUL: North Korea is expected to court Russian tourists following the completion of its Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist zone, which is set to open first to domestic travellers in July, South Korea's Unification Ministry said on Thursday (June 26).
It noted that construction – which was suspended for an extended period – resumed in 2024, possibly with support from Russia and expectation of attracting Russian tourists.
North Korean state media reported on June 26 on the completion ceremony of the Wonsan-Kalma beach resort. It was held on June 25 and attended by leader Kim Jong Un and family members.
The resort is set to open to domestic visitors on July 1, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
It reported that the tourist zone is 'equipped with hotels and inns capable of accommodating around 20,000 people, allowing domestic and international visitors to choose accommodations that suit their preferences' in a Korean-language report.
The Russian ambassador to North Korea and embassy members were invited as special guests, according to the state media report.
A Unification Ministry official said on condition of anonymity during a closed-door briefing: 'Operations are expected to gradually expand to include Russian tourists, beginning with domestic tourism on July 1.
'The fact that the Russian ambassador was invited and highlighted (in the state media report) also appears to have been intended with Russian tourists in mind.'
The official added: 'North Korea has regarded tourism as very important while recognising it as a key means of earning foreign currency.
'Tourism itself is not a violation of sanctions. However, tourism operations that involve bulk cash transfers or are conducted in the form of cooperative projects or joint ventures with North Korea could constitute a violation of sanctions.'
'On the other hand, individual tourists paying their own expenses on a cost-reimbursement basis would not be considered a sanctions violation,' the official said.
UN Security Council Resolution 2270 prohibits the transfer of bulk cash to North Korea, and Resolution 2375 bans all UN member states from creating any new joint ventures with North Korean entities or individuals.
North Korea's decision to resume years-long construction of the Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist zone in 2024 could be related to a closer alignment with Russia during the country's grinding war against Ukraine.
'Since North Korea's involvement in the Ukraine war, it is believed that the country has received various forms of material support from Russia – support that may have contributed economically to the completion of the Wonsan-Kalma tourist zone,' the official said.
'Additionally, there is a possibility that North Korea will actively seek to attract Russian tourists, which could explain the renewed push to promote the project.'
North Korea initially designated the area along the coast connecting Wonsan and Mount Kumgang as a tourist zone in 2014.
KCNA previously reported that a groundbreaking ceremony for the Wonsan region took place in May 2015.
North Korea originally set a goal of completing the tourist zone by April 15, 2019 to mark the birth anniversary of the country's late founder Kim Il Sung.
However, the project was repeatedly delayed due to difficulties in securing construction materials under international sanctions. Construction was halted following the outbreak of Covid-19 and remained suspended until 2024.
The official, however, underscored that Seoul needs to watch how much tourism in the Wonsan-Kalma coastal zone can actually be realised 'due to various limitations in transportation infrastructure'.
Based on the number of flights and the size of aircraft operating between Pyongyang and Vladivostok, the maximum number of people who could travel via Pyongyang to the Wonsan-Kalma coastal zone in a single day would be around 170.
The official also explained that there has been no progress in resuming Chinese group tours, which were suspended after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in January 2020. - The Korea Herald/ANN
