Developing the tourism industry has been a high priority under Kim Jong Un, at least up until 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic caused global disruptions in transnational movement and North Korea closed its borders.

Over the past decade, North Korea has attempted to build “world-class” vacation properties intended to attract tourists—both foreign and domestic—as a source of much needed hard currency. Among many initiatives conceived, the country has invested heavily in developing at least four large-scale tourist facilities: the Masikryong Ski Resort, the Wonsan-Kalma Beach Resort, the mountain resort of Samjiyon, and the Mt. Kumgang tourist area. Each of these areas has developed at a different pace, and some remain unfinished or unused for political and/or technical reasons.

As North Korea begins to loosen its pandemic restrictions, assessing the current status of these major tourism projects may provide some indication of its near-term expectations for resuming tourism as well.

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