4 days ago
7
A woman from Russia who was among the first to visit North Korea's "Benidorm" has revealed details of the holiday resort built near a missile testing site. Wonsan Kalma can accommodate almost 20,000 people and is at the centre of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s push to boost tourism to improve his country’s ailing economy.
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited the beach resort in July to meet Kim. Lavrov promised to encourage Russian tourists to visit the complex. Anastasia Samsonova, 33, was among the first to stay at Wonsan Kalma, which is said to have been inspired by Spain's tourist hotspot.
She told the BBC how locals looked at her and fellow travellers with "great surprise" because of how long the country has been closed to the outside world.
Ms Samsonova observed how the beach was clean and "perfectly level" and while there were toy rockets on sale for £30 each, she didn't see any missiles being tested.
A fourth surprise was how tightly the visit was controlled, with guides, guards and a fixed itinerary which required permission from officials to deviate from.
She praised the beach, explaining: "The loungers were absolutely new, everything spotless. The entrance to the sea was very gentle, so yes, it really was a very good beach."
North Korea has gradually been easing curbs imposed during the Covid pandemic and reopening its borders in stages. But the country hasn’t said if it will fully resume international tourism.
Russia's Transport Ministry said in July that there will be one flight a month to meet demand. The first flight operated by Russian carrier Nordwind took off from Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport carrying over 400 passengers late last month.
Flights between Russia’s eastern port city, Vladivostok, and Pyongyang reopened in 2023 after a break caused by the pandemic.
Russia and North Korea have sharply expanded military and other ties in recent years, with Pyongyang supplying weapons as well as troops to back Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Weeks after Wonsan Kalma opened, Pyongyang announced all foreigners except Russians would be allowed to visit in a temporary ban.
According to the BBC, a week long trip from Russia to North Korea costs £1,300. That includes three days at Wonsan Kalma.
Human rights groups have alleged workers who built the resort were treated harshly, this includes forced labour, long hours and harsh working conditions.
James Heenan from the UN Human Rights Office in South Korea has said there are reports the resort was built using so-called "shock brigades". He said the UN had seen reports of people working for 24 hours to get the resort finished.
English (US) · 