North Korea opens a new tourist area on the coast

North Korea held the inauguration ceremony of the Yombunjin coastal tourism complex in North Hamgyong Province, northeastern North Korea, on January 21, completing a project that started in 2011 but lasted more than a decade due to delays and design adjustments.

The new tourist area includes a coastal motel (Yombunjin Haeyang Hostel), a beach, a movie theater, a water park and video game areas. Yombunjin is oriented to become a link in the east coast tourism chain (connecting with Chilbo Mountain, Wonsan Mountain and Kumgang Mountain) to attract domestic tourists and people coming to North Korea on business.

Mr. Pak Myong Ho, Chairman of the People’s Committee of North Hamgyong Province, said the tourist area will bring rest conditions and amenities to people in the province as well as those who often travel for work. Currently, the resort has no plans to welcome international guests.

The project in Yombunjin was started in July 2011 under the direction of late leader Kim Jong Il, but then stalled for a long time. In 2018, leader Kim Jong Un inspected this area and requested to adjust the hotel design, while expanding the project towards building a modern coastal park.

The completion of Yombunjin takes place in the context of North Korea’s recent years of stepping up investment in coastal tourism infrastructure. Previously, this country developed the Wonsan Kalma coastal tourist area in Kangwon province, a large-scale project along the east coast.

Wonsan Kalma area will hold an inauguration ceremony on June 24, 2025 and begin welcoming domestic guests from July 1, 2025. This complex includes hundreds of hotels, motels and service areas, which can serve nearly 20,000 guests at the same time.

Before the opening, a number of foreign travel companies and regional media said that North Korea planned to welcome Russian delegations to Wonsan Kalma, showing the initial orientation towards the international market. However, just a few weeks after opening, a number of international news agencies reported that this resort was temporarily no longer accepting foreign guests, without specifying the reason or deadline.

Since 2025, North Korea has allowed some international tourist groups to return on a limited scale, including tours to the Rason special zone after nearly 5 years of closure due to the pandemic. Tourism promotion plans for 2026 also mention targeting the Chinese market.

In this context, the completion of the Yombunjin coastal tourist area is seen as an additional step in the tourism infrastructure system, reflecting North Korea’s long-term efforts to prepare for the possibility of expanding tourism activities when conditions allow.