North Korea Temporarily Bars Foreign Tourists From New Wonsan-Kalma Resort

North Korea has abruptly halted foreign tourism to its newly opened Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone, a lavish beach resort on the east coast that leader Kim Jong Un hailed as one of the regime's greatest successes this year. The suspension came shortly after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov visited the area and pledged to promote Russian tourism there. Despite state media fanfare portraying the resort as a modern, large-scale destination capable of hosting around 20,000 guests, reports and satellite imagery indicate that parts of the development remain unfinished and the resort has seen limited genuine tourist activity, with staged promotional images and mobilized local attendees. The decision to bar foreign visitors, including Russians, highlights the regime's struggle to balance its ambition to boost tourism and foreign currency inflow with concerns over international perception and ongoing domestic constraints. High costs for visiting the resort and tight control over access reflect North Korea's delicate approach to showcasing its development amid widespread economic hardship. While the government has not provided a reason or timeline for lifting the ban, analysts suggest it stems from fears of negative consequences following critical media coverage and logistical challenges.