North Korea Opens Wonsan-Kalma Resort Russian Tourists Followed Phones Likely Bugged

North Korea has opened its new Wonsan-Kalma resort, a large artificial white sand beach on the Sea of Japan, for Russian tourists via package tours. Visitors reported being closely accompanied by 'minders' throughout their stay, including on the beach, which was described as a form of 'sweet concern' rather than overt surveillance, although many suspected their phones were bugged. The resort, which can accommodate up to 20,000 people and features amenities such as jet-skis, electric cars, and trams, was built on a former missile test site and inaugurated by Kim Jong Un. The inaugural group of 13 tourists experienced a canceled flight from Pyongyang to Wonsan and were instead transported by a private, comfortable train, giving them views of rural villages and farmland. Despite the heavy supervision and concerns about wiretapping, some tourists appreciated the infrastructure and the unusual travel experience within such a repressive state. The resort remains largely empty, with minders’ presence masking the lack of other visitors and the overall atmosphere described as eerie.