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North reportedly building new tourist attraction on coast following Wonsan Kalma establishment

Published: 11 Nov. 2025, 12:46 Updated: 11 Nov. 2025, 16:53

LIM JEONG-WON
[email protected]

Construction workers and officials are seen near Yeombunjin in North Korea in this file photo released by the Korean Central News Agency. [KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY]

North Korea is reportedly building a new coastal tourist attraction in the northern part of its east coast, following the opening of the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone earlier this year.

The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Tuesday that construction of the Yeombunjin Coastal Park is in the final stages.

Officials and workers have erected shops, restaurants and other service buildings and have also concentrated their resources and resources to complete road construction, according to the KCNA.

Paving work, laying interior floor tiles and installing insulated windows are underway at the Yeombunjin Marine Hotel, a facility within the park, KCNA reported.

The Yeombunjin area is a coastal area near Mount Chilbo in North Hamgyong Province. Construction of the Yeombunjin Marine Hotel began in July 2011 at the direction of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s father Kim Jong-il, but has been delayed for many years.

Kim Jong-un visited the site in July 2018 and stated, "Six years have passed since the completion of the framework, yet the interior finishing work has not been completed."

He ordered a comprehensive review of the design to reflect modern aesthetics.

"Yeombunjin boasts exceptionally beautiful coastal scenery, and its proximity to railways, waterways and roads offers excellent transportation,” Kim Jong-un said at the time of his visit.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his daughter, Ju-ae, attend the inauguration ceremony for the Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist zone on June 24 in this image provided by the state-run Korean Central Television on June 26. [KOREAN CENTRAL TELEVISION]

In March this year, reports surfaced that Kim had approved a detailed business plan for the completion of the Yeombunjin Marine Hotel, indicating that the project is now in the full-scale completion phase.

Building on the experience gained from the recently opened Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone, North Korea is pursuing a strategy of expanding its tourism infrastructure to other regions.

"Given the abundance of beautiful East Sea scenic spots, including Mount Kumgang, Mount Chilbo, Majon, Kumya, Riwon and Yeombunjin, we must maintain a policy of focusing on rationally utilizing the abundant coastal tourism resources in the tourism sector going forward,” said Kim Jong-un during his on-site inspection of Wonsan-Kalma last July.

An official from the North's National Tourism Administration also stated in an interview last September, "Based on the achievements and experience gained from the development of the Kalma Peninsula, promising large-scale tourism and cultural zones of various types will be built in various regions."

BY LIM JEONG-WON [[email protected]]