Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area

Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Area
원산갈마해안관광지구
Tourist zone
Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Area
Coordinates: 39°10′14″N 127°29′22″E / 39.170604°N 127.489370°E / 39.170604; 127.489370
CountryNorth Korea
ProvinceKangwon Province
CityWonsan
Announced2025
 Designed capacity of approximately 20,000 visitors
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (Pyongyang Time)

The Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area (Korean: 원산갈마해안관광지구) is a seaside resort in Wonsan, North Korea that opened in 2025.[1][2] The resort is built along Myongsasimni Beach, a sandy coastline stretching roughly four kilometres along the Kalma Peninsula.[3] The project was first announced by Kim Jong Un in 2018 as part of efforts to expand tourism in North Korea. The complex includes hotels, entertainment facilities, and transport infrastructure designed to accommodate up to 20,000 visitors.[4] Although the resort was opened to visitors in July 2025, foreign tourism was suspended shortly after opening, while domestic tourists continued to visit.[2]

History

Prior to the development of the resort, parts of the coastal area near Wonsan had been used for military activities, including missile tests conducted by North Korea.[3]

In January 2018, Kim Jong Un mentioned plans to develop the coastal area adjacent to Kalma Airfield into a resort area in his New Year's address in 2018.[5]

Construction began in January 2018 on a recreational area on the shore of the Sea of Japan in Wonsan, the capital of Kangwon Province.[6][2] The opening was initially scheduled for October 2019, but was postponed first due to construction delays, then due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In December 2024, it was announced that the opening, scheduled for May 2025, would be postponed to June 2025.[6] The KCNA later released photographs showing Kim Jong Un inspecting the resort’s facilities with his daughter Kim Ju Ae ahead of its planned opening.[3]

On June 24, 2025, a grand opening ceremony for the tourist complex was held with the participation of North Korean President Kim Jong Un and Alexandr Matsegora, the Russian Ambassador to the DPRK and the embassy staff.[7][8] On July 1, the resort opened to visitors.[9] On July 18, 2025, it was suddenly announced that it would no longer accept foreign tourists,[9][10] possibly due to the need to address deficiencies identified during the first weeks of operation. In August 2025, Russian tour operators began advertising tours to the Wonsan Kalma resort.[11][12]

Diplomatic visits

In July 2025, the resort was chosen as the location for meetings between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Kim Jong Un.[13]

In February 2026, Chinese ambassador to North Korea Wang Yajun led a delegation to the resort, raising hopes that Chinese tourists will be able to visit the zone, which remains closed to most foreign travelers.[14][15]

Facilities

The resort is located along Myongsasimni Beach, a sandy coastline stretching roughly four kilometres along the Kalma Peninsula.[16] The beach is one of the main attractions of the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area.

According to the Kalma tourism guide map, there are six large hotels, 37 motels (Ryeogwan), and ten large unnamed buildings serving as accommodation facilities. However, it appears that only some of the motels are in operation, while most of the facilities remain unused. The Wonsan Kalma coastal tourist area is designed to accommodate 20,000 people.[4]

Hotels and accommodation

17 luxury hotels were planned to be constructed in the resort. However, only six of the planned seventeen hotels have been completed as of 2025.[17][18] According to the official map, the hotels in the area include Kalma Hotel,[19] Myongsasimni Hotel,[13] Saenal Hotel,[19] Ulmilbong Hotel,[17] Chinson Hotel, Ryongbong Hotel, Ullim Hotel, Simhae Hotel ,Tongymyong Hotel and Kalmaegi Hotel.[13]

The known motels (Ryeogwan) in the area include Tungdae Motel, Moraetho Motel, Somunbong Motel and Nunsogi Motel.

Entertainment

Entertainment facilities include the Myongsasimni Theatre, a newly built performance venue located within the resort. The venue is designed to host performances, art troupes, and various events for tourists, including international festivals.[20]

The complex also includes the Myongsasimni Water Park, a luxury water park that is one of the two waterparks in the DPRK, the other being the Munsu Water Park in Pyongyang.[21] The main structure of the park is complete but lacks features such as water slides. The water park appears to include a number of pools and a lazy river water ride.[22] Another facility is the Mokran Recreation Centre, which functions as part of a leisure complex aimed at providing modern recreational options for visitors to the coastal area.[21][23]

The Wonsan Kalma coastal tourist area has sightseeing electric carts. These tourist cars were locally designed and manufactured.[24]

Transport infrastructure

Railway

Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area has its own dedicated railway infrastructure, which has been upgraded to support the new, large-scale resort.[25] The Railway line is on the Kangwon Line of the Korean State Railway.[26]

Wonsan Tram

Main article: Wonsan Tram

The Wonsan Tram is a tourist tram that was opened on 26 June 2025. It consists of a single-track tramway that runs 8.5 kilometres (5.3 mi).[27] It was built to connect the different parts of the resort.

The line is served by a fleet of three summer trams, designed without doors and windows, and two ordinary vehicles with three double-leaf doors.[25]

Trolleybus

The resort is served by several trolleybuses to facilitate access for visitors to the beach resort area.[28] In 2020, North Korean state media reported on the expansion of the trolleybus network to support the massive Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist area.[28] New routes were established to link key areas, including the Kalma Peninsula. As of late 2020, new routes were planned connecting to Kalma, Myongsasipri, and Songdowon, utilizing a depot near Wonsan Station.[28][1]

Air

Main article: Kalma Airport

The resort is served by Kalma Airport (IATA: WOS, ICAO: ZKWS). Air Koryo connects Wonsan to Pyongyang Sunan International Airport. A new international terminal was built in 2015.[29] It is reported that the airport cost around $200 million to build, with most of the work being carried out by the military.[30]

Significance

The Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area has been described by state media as a major national construction project. Kim Jong Un personally cut the ribbon on a new resort hailed by state media as a "national treasure-level tourism city".[31][32] During the opening, North Korean officials stated that they expected tourists from Russia to visit the resort. The South Korean media dubbed the new tourist area as North Korea's Waikiki.[33]

The resort forms part of a broader effort by the North Korean government to develop Wonsan into a major tourism hub on the country's east coast.[34] Analysts have described the resort as part of North Korea’s broader strategy to expand tourism and generate foreign currency, particularly by attracting visitors from Russia and China, following years of UN sanctions.[35]

Human rights concerns

Human rights organizations reported harsh working conditions, with workers reportedly working overtime at the construction site and receiving inadequate pay.[4]

See also

References

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  2. ^ a b c "Sleepy port city focus of North Korea tourism push". AP News. 2014-07-28. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
  3. ^ a b c "'One single, giant complex': North Korea to open 'tourist city' once taken over by homeless". ABC News. 2025-01-08. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  4. ^ a b c "North Korea seaside resort bans foreigners weeks after opening". www.bbc.com. 2025-07-18. Retrieved 2026-02-16.
  5. ^ "北朝鮮｢巨大リゾート計画｣は"非常識"の塊だ". 東洋経済オンライン (in Japanese). 2018-05-24. Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  6. ^ a b Zwirko, Colin (2024-12-31). "North Korea delays opening of giant Wonsan Kalma resort again to June 2025 | NK News". NK News - North Korea News. Retrieved 2026-02-16.
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  10. ^ AP (2025-07-18). "North Korea bans foreign tourists to newly opened Wonsan-Kalma beach resort". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2026-02-16.
  11. ^ "North Korea's Benidorm-style resort welcomes first Russian tourists". www.bbc.com. 2025-07-12. Retrieved 2026-03-08.
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  22. ^ Ragnone, Martyn Williams, Peter Makowsky, Iliana (2024-08-14). "Theater Demolished as Wonsan-Kalma Tourist Zone Project Enters Final Phase - 38 North: Informed Analysis of North Korea". 38 North. Retrieved 2026-03-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  23. ^ "North Korea opens landmark coastal Wonsan tourist zone". CNA. Retrieved 2026-03-08.
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