North Korea has been dismantling South Korean assets, including hot spring facilities, located within the Mount Kumgang area. The demolition of South Korean assets in the Mount Kumgang Tourist zone is ongoing.
The official from the Ministry of Unification stated on the 27th, “North Korea has been observed dismantling hot spring facilities and resort villas within the Mount Kumgang tourist zone.” This fact has also been confirmed through private satellite images.
On that day, Voice of America (VOA) cited satellite images from Planet Labs, taken recently of North Korea’s Mount Kumgang Tourist Region, reporting that the roofs of the Mount Kumgang hot spring facilities that were previously deep green had now changed to light gray. This change is attributed to the roofs being removed, revealing the inner structures of the buildings.
Directly adjacent to the hot springs lies a village comprising approximately 40 densely packed buildings. Satellite images reveal a noticeable fading of color in this area compared to precious records, accompanied by a visible reduction in its size, indicating ongoing demolition activities.
The hot springs and hot spring village are located in the heart of Mount Kumgang Tourist Region. After construction by Hyundai Asan, the Korea Tourism Organization assumed operations in 2002.
Following an inspection of Mount Kumgang in October 2019, Kim Jong Un issued an order to “completely remove the South’s shabby facilities that are unpleasant to look at.”
Following this development, the dismantling of South Korean facilities within Mount Kumgang began in earnest in 2022. As of now, South Korean assets including the Haegeumgang Hotel, eight accommodation buildings at the Mount Kumgang Golf Course, Onjeonggak, Kuryong Village, Mount Kumgang Pension Town, a seafood restaurant in Goseong Port, and a fire station building have been demolished without permission.