The first time we listened to the idea there was talk of setting up a Benidorm species North Korean version. That first outline mutated until woning already North Korea in a holiday place. The doubt since then, and more after Its inaugurationIt was knowing what attractions this resort had in one of the most isolated enclaves in the world, and what guests would go to the call. All that and something else has just known. Exclusivity and Russians. I told this week The journal wallstreet through a trip that has lasted seven days. The coastal complex by Wonsan Kalmaone of Kim Jong’s emblematic projects to exhibit an image of modernity and prosperity in North Korea, opened its doors to foreign visitors for the first timealthough very selectively: Russian citizens could only access. Conceived in 2018 and announced by the leader himself in his New Year speechthe project was inspired by leisure destinations Like Benidormwith plans for hotels of high height, casino, shopping centers and an aquatic park. According to the Official propagandait is a sample of the “policy centered in the people” and the large investments of the regime in social welfare, although satellite images show that a good part remains unfinished. Pompa and reopening. The partial reopening of borders In Februaryafter the total closure by the pandemic, it has served at the same time to strengthen cooperation political and military With Moscow, in a context in which Kim has promised Unconditional support to the Russian war against Ukraine. The Journal told that the inaugural visit of 13 Russian tourists It coincided With the arrival of Foreign Minister Serguéi Lavrov, housed in the best hotel and personally received by Kim on his private yacht. Experiences. The group of the first visitors, composed of experienced travelers and High purchasing powerhe started his tour with three days in Pyongyang before moving to Wonsan. Although the initial plan was to fly, they were redirected on a 10 -hour train trip to cover the 120 kilometers to the eastern coast, a change attributed to preparations for the preparations for the Arrival of Lavrov. Once at the resort, they met deserted beachesan extremely attentive service and disposal of the staff to satisfy any request, from preparing custom breakfasts to deliver chairs and speakers in the sand. And more. The beaches, apparently, They are segregated For premises and foreigners, the aquatic park remains closed to the latter and payments are made with recharged electronic bracelets only in dollars, euros or yuan. Prices ranged from 60 cents of a beer and the $ 465 of a model of a HWASong-17 missilewhile some activities, such as the use of aquatic motorcycles or quads, were free due to the absence of fixed rates. The visitors claimed to have enjoyed an unusual freedom to take photographs, documenting curiosities such as imported Heineken beer, war toys and buses with propaganda slogans. Of inside doors. The Arrival of Lavrov It altered the routine of the complex, which was filled with North Korean visitors apparently belonging to the elite, identifiable by its careful clothing and latest generation mobiles, something uncommon in the country. More. The hotel staff apparently showed behaviors that They surprised to tourists, such as ignoring “not disturbing” posters or reducing the temperature of hot water without consent. In a striking episode, the medium that dozens of North Koreans were equipped with swimsuits And they threw themselves into the sea next to the Russian visitors, including the group’s own guide, who did not know how to swim and spent hours clinging to one of them. Objectives and projection. What’s doubt, Wonsan Kalma It is not only an leisure center, but a propaganda instrument that the regime uses to demonstrate that it can offer luxury and recreation despite international sanctions and internal precariousness. In the domestic sphere, access to North Koreans is expected to be used as Loyalty Award Politics, reinforcing the official narrative of prosperity under the direction of Kim. The initial restriction of Russian visitors underlines the narrow tune strategic with Moscow and adds an element of exclusivity that enhances its symbolic value. In this way, experts point out that attracting international tourism in volume It will be difficultsince most travelers interested in North Korea seek their capital, their ideological monuments and military enclaves, Not a vacation on its beaches. It does not seem to import much in Pyongyang, where the regime plans to receive a second group of Russian tourists shortly, using Wonsan as a showcase of his political alliance and as an outgoing exterior. A place where the hospitality and the staging reinforce the message that, even under sanctions, North Korea can offer experiences that it intends to present as exclusive and luxurious. Image | Clay Gilliland, Heute In Xataka | North Korea has built a resort so great that it now faces another problem: find tourists to fill it In Xataka | After years with its closed borders, North Korea has opened to foreign tourism. The price: more than $ 600
