North Korea has been aggressively promoting the Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist zone, but recent analysis suggests that most of the resort facilities in the area remain unfinished.
On Friday, NK News, a U.S.-based media outlet specializing in North Korean affairs, reported that, according to a map released by the state-run Foreign Languages Publishing House, only 6 out of 17 large hotels in the tourist zone appear to be completed.
The map obtained by NK News shows that 11 of the 17 hotels have not yet been named. While the hotels featured in the completion ceremony video on June 24 appear finished from the outside, they likely aren’t operational, as they lack basic amenities such as signage.
NK News also noted that, although the map indicates 37 hostels, only 17 are named.
The map depicts an amusement park located near the resort center and adjacent to the airport; however, satellite imagery suggests that construction hasn’t even begun, according to NK News.
Photos of the Kalma Tourist Zone released by North Korea through the Rodong Sinmun newspaper show visitors primarily using the beach, with no evidence of tourists inside hotels or hostels.
Rodong Sinmun reported a surge of visitors since the zone’s official opening on Tuesday, but conspicuously omitted specific visitor numbers, hinting that most tourists may have been mobilized rather than visiting voluntarily.
Despite these operational uncertainties, North Korea continues to heavily promote the Kalma Tourist Zone through its official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun.
The newspaper dedicated its front page to detailing the zone’s construction process, citing reports from the Korean Central News Agency, while the second page featured numerous promotional photos.
The newspaper lauded the zone, describing it as a masterpiece of North Korea’s tourism industry and a symbol of socialist civilization. It praised the area’s architectural beauty, highlighting its diverse accommodations, beach facilities, sports and entertainment venues, and commercial services, all purportedly designed to provide optimal tourism conditions for both domestic and international guests.