Why North Korea can’t afford to reopen for tourism — even if it wants to



Columns Why North Korea can’t afford to reopen for tourism — even if it wants to Abrupt closure of Rason shows Kim Jong Un is caught between desire for foreign currency and fear of foreign influence Chad O'Carroll March 13, 2025 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON A young North Korean musician performs in Pyongyang. \| Image: Eric Lafforgue (Sept. 2012) Kim Jong Un has big plans for North Korean tourism in 2025. The massive Wonsan-Kalma coastal resort, a sprawling complex of hotels and leisure facilities, is slated to finally open in June after years of delays. Ongoing renovations at the northern border city Samjiyon are designed to “revitalize international tourism.” And the Pyongyang International Marathon in April is set to welcome foreign runners for its first race since 2019. Kim Jong Un has big plans for North Korean tourism in 2025. The massive Wonsan-Kalma coastal resort, a sprawling complex of hotels and leisure facilities, is slated to finally open in June after years of delays. Ongoing renovations at the northern border city Samjiyon are designed to “revitalize international tourism.” And the Pyongyang International Marathon in April is set to welcome foreign runners for its first race since 2019. Try unlimited access Only $1 for four weeks Unlimited access to all of NK News: reporting, investigations, analysis Year-one discount if you continue past $1 trial period The NK News Daily Update, an email newsletter to keep you in the loop Searchable archive of all content, photo galleries, special columns Contact NK News reporters with tips or requests for reporting Get unlimited access to all NK News content, including original reporting, investigations, and analyses by our team of DPRK experts. Subscribe now All major cards accepted. No commitments – you can cancel any time. © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. Get the Daily Update Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most – as selected by And how should we address you in correspondence? One more step! Please check your inbox, for an email we just sent you, and click on the confirmation message in it to get subscribed to our Daily News Update. Trending

Columns

Why North Korea can’t afford to reopen for tourism — even if it wants to

Abrupt closure of Rason shows Kim Jong Un is caught between desire for foreign currency and fear of foreign influence

Chad O'Carroll March 13, 2025

Why North Korea can’t afford to reopen for tourism — even if it wants to

A young North Korean musician performs in Pyongyang. | Image: Eric Lafforgue (Sept. 2012)

Kim Jong Un has big plans for North Korean tourism in 2025.

The massive Wonsan-Kalma coastal resort, a sprawling complex of hotels and leisure facilities, is slated to finally open in June after years of delays. Ongoing renovations at the northern border city Samjiyon are designed to “revitalize international tourism.” And the Pyongyang International Marathon in April is set to welcome foreign runners for its first race since 2019.

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Why North Korea can’t afford to reopen for tourism — even if it wants to

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