North Korea has always been known for its restricted engagement with other countries. The country recently opened the Wonsan-Kalma beach resort, which the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hailed as one of the biggest achievements of this year. The resort was opened to local tourists on July 1, and last week, it invited a group of Russian visitors. However, on Thursday, July 17, the nation announced a temporary ban on foreign tourists. Wondering Why? Scroll down to know.
International Tourists Banned At Wonsan-Kalma Beach Resort
To boost tourism, North Korea recently opened the Wonsan-Kalma Beach Resort. Shortly after welcoming its first group of foreign visitors, the North Korea tourism website DPR Korea Tour announced that the Wonsan-Kalma tourist complex is “temporarily not receiving foreign tourists.”
The reason for this sudden decision by the country’s officials is still unknown, but many speculations have surfaced. As per the Travel And Tour World report, the suspension of international tourists can be linked to a Russian journalist who visited North Korea with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. As per the CNBC News reports, Lavrov has stated that the number of Russian tourists is likely to rise in the coming year.
In his report, the Russian journalist mentioned that the people roaming at the beach resort “looked like they were asked to visit instead of actual tourists.” And after that, a sudden decision of a temporary ban on international tourists indicates that it’s an effort to avoid negative stories. Russian tourists will still be permitted, but only under certain conditions.
Wonsan-Kalma Beach Resort Impact On Tourism
Wonsan-Kalma beach resort is North Korea’s major tourism project. It is located on the eastern coast of North Korea and can accommodate 20,000 visitors. This lavish tourist attraction is built to boost the country’s economy and is expecting strong support from Russia and China. The resort is now open for the local tourists. Still, experts think that this beach resort won’t be able to run without the international tourists.
It’s still unclear when the ban on international visitors will be revoked. The local government is finding a way to allow international tourism while maintaining its image.
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