Spring Break Pyongyang? Satellite Images Reveal North Korea Beach Resort

North Korea has been making significant progress toward the long-awaited opening of the Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Area, a vast beach resort that has been under construction for years, according to recent satellite imagery.

Images from Planet Labs provided to Newsweek reveal extensive road paving and the addition of beach chairs, suggesting preparations to welcome guests are in full swing.

The resort includes hotels, shops and other facilities, with recent images showing completed parking lots and the near-finished turtle-shaped arena. These developments suggest that Pyongyang is determined to open the getaway soon, although the exact date remains unknown.

Construction at Wonsan-Kalma, on the eastern side of the Korean peninsula about four hours from Pyongyang, started in 2018 with an initial completion target of 2020. The project has faced numerous setbacks, including delays caused by the pandemic​​.

But things seem to be back on track with repaving work completed after it began in the first week of May, along with advanced stages of construction visible throughout the resort, according to an analysis of before-and-after satellite photos. Beach chairs have even been set up in the central area.

The successful completion and operation of the resort could be a significant step toward achieving Kim Jong-un’s vision of boosting the nation’s tourism sector, which is tightly controlled.

During its construction phase, Wonsan-Kalma has only hosted a limited number of visitors, including a media crew from Russia earlier this year. Russian tour companies have been notified about the imminent opening, but specific details remain scarce.

The progress on the complex aligns with recent news related to tourism efforts in North Korea. In March, Pyongyang announced that a group of Russian tourists went on a ski trip, becoming the first international visitors since the borders closed in January 2020.

Two months later, a Russian train carrying tourists departed for North Korea for the first time in four years, according to the Russian customs service, less than a month after a local governor announced the resumption of rail traffic in mid-May.

The expanding ties between North Korea and Russia come as they are locked in separate confrontations with the U.S. and its allies.

Preparations are already underway in Pyongyang for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s upcoming visit, which marks his first trip to North Korea since 2000. Moscow has suggested the visit will be soon, but neither side has announced visit dates.

The visit is part of a broader effort to strengthen ties between the two nations, particularly in light of increased military cooperation amid Russia’s conflict with Ukraine. Putin is expected to visit Vietnam from June 19 to 20 and may visit North Korea on the same trip.

If the resort on Wonsan-Kalma intends to market itself to domestic travelers, a stay would need to be cheap — the average salary in North Korea translates to about $3 dollars per month.