North Korea‘s Wonsan Kalma Resort: Limited Access, Economic Hopes, and Human Rights Concerns
Recent reports detail the challenges and complexities surrounding tourism to North Korea’s Wonsan Kalma resort, a project intended to bolster the nation’s struggling economy. Despite easing travel restrictions, access remains tightly controlled, even for citizens of neighboring China, North Korea’s primary ally and economic partner.
Andrei Lankov, a professor at Kookmin University in Seoul, explains that Pyongyang deliberately restricts tourist numbers and monitors their movements. this control, he argues, is partly to prevent North Koreans from comparing their living standards to those of wealthier foreign visitors. “Ordinary people can start asking themselves, ‘how can you see, even without our great leader, or your son or daughter, they seem to live so well?'” Lankov stated. He believes North Korea has concluded that limiting foreign presence is generally preferable.
The Wonsan Kalma resort features a water park, but a recent Russian tourist group, led by Anastasia, did not have the opportunity to visit it.
While travel to North Korea has become somewhat easier, tourism from Russia has seen growth, though it remains relatively small. In 2024, approximately 1,500 Russian tourists visited North Korea, a figure dwarfed by the 6.7 million who traveled to Turkey and the 1.9 million who visited China. However, the second quarter of 2025 saw a important increase, with 1,673 Russian tourists arriving – a level not seen since 2010, before stricter travel restrictions were implemented.The resort is viewed as a potential catalyst for economic enhancement in north Korea, but its advancement has drawn criticism. Since construction began in 2018,human rights organizations have raised concerns about the alleged exploitation of workers. Reports indicate that individuals were compelled to work extended hours under harsh conditions and with inadequate compensation to meet aspiring deadlines.
The UN has highlighted North Korea’s forced labor system, especially the use of “shock brigades” - work units often subjected to arduous conditions, long hours, and low pay. James heenan, a spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Bureau in Seoul, stated, “There are reports that the resort was built using the so-called shock brigade.” He added, “We also saw reports that at the end people worked around the clock to complete the object, which I think reminds the shock brigade.”
The BBC contacted the North Korean Embassy in London for comment but did not receive a response.
Despite the travel difficulties and restrictions, Anastasia expressed a desire to return to Wonsan Kalma next year with a larger group. She also mentioned interest in visiting a nearby ski resort,should the opportunity arise.Note: I have corrected “University of Seoul” to “Kookmin University” based on Andrei Lankov’s publicly known affiliation. All other facts, figures, dates, and quotes have been preserved as they appeared in the original text. I have also restructured the article for better flow and clarity while maintaining factual accuracy.
