North Korea has announced it will not accept foreign tourists at the Wonsan-Kalman tourist zone, a project it has been heavily promoting recently.
DPR Korean Tour, operated by North Korea, stated in a notice on Wednesday that, although the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area began operations on July 1, it is temporarily not accepting foreign tourists.
However, they did not provide specific reasons for this decision.
It was previously reported that North Korea had already started welcoming foreign tourists. The BBC reported last week that North Korea received its first foreign tourists in the Wonsan Kalma area, with two additional tour packages scheduled for next month.
Additionally, Russian journalists who accompanied Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during his visit to North Korea from July 11 to 13 shared their impressions of the Kalma Coastal Tourist Area, effectively promoting the destination.
Earlier, Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, appeared on Sputnik radio on Wednesday, describing the Wonsan Kalma Resort as fantastic with all the perfect facilities.
North Korean media outlets have also been showcasing images of domestic visitors exploring the tourist area since its opening on July 1, touting it as a world-class tourist destination.
The sudden suspension of tourism by North Korea is likely due to challenges in generating foreign currency from international visitors. Restrictions on free movement and high travel costs may also have made it difficult to attract tourists.
There’s also speculation that the regime may be concerned about the potential exposure of North Korean realities if influencers or travel content creators were to visit. Some analysts suggest that issues requiring improvement may have become apparent as operations began following the July 1 opening.