North Korea's Nearly Empty Wonsan-Kalma Resort: A Look Inside

Wonsan-Kalma Resort: A Grand Opening with Few Guests

• 🏖️ The Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone, a new resort with miles of beaches and hotels, was opened by Kim Jong Un with the aim of attracting tourists.
• 🇷🇺 Currently, only a handful of Russian tourists are allowed to visit, with strict COVID-19 protocols preventing Chinese and Western visitors.
• 👤 Russian visitors reported having the resort almost entirely to themselves, with limited interaction with North Koreans.
• 🌐 The resort is divided into domestic and international zones, keeping foreign tourists in a controlled bubble.

Consumer Culture in Pyongyang

• ☕ A growing consumer culture is evident in Pyongyang, with cafes resembling Starbucks Reserve and furniture stores similar to Ikea.
• 🍟 Fast food establishments offer items like French fries and milkshakes, with packaging reminiscent of McDonald's.
• 📱 A North Korean version of an Apple Store sells smartphones for hundreds of dollars, indicating a surprising level of consumer goods availability.
• 💳 Mobile payments using QR codes are standard, despite the nation's isolation from international banking.

Tourism as a Lifeline for North Korea

• 🔑 Tourism is seen by observers as a potential lifeline for North Korea, not targeted by UN sanctions, to generate foreign currency.
• 🖼️ The Wonsan-Kalma project is promoted as a symbol of progress and a way to polish the country's international image.
• 🤝 There's speculation that such developments could potentially host future international summits.
• 🌍 Despite efforts to appear open for business, doors remain largely shut to most outsiders.