HUNDREDS of Brits have signed up to visit the "North Korean Benidorm" when it opens - despite dire warnings to would-be tourists. Kim Jong-un has struggled for years to launch his massive new beach resort, with the grand opening delayed again and again. But the Wonsan-Kalma resort will finally welcome guests later this year - and now 250 Brits have signed up to be there. This is despite a terrifying warning that a trip to the dictatorship could cost holidaymakers their lives.

Kim reportedly sent a fact-finding mission to Spain's Costa Blanca in 2017 to inspire his vanity-project resort - built at a former missile base - hence the "Benidorm" nickname. Work kept stalling and the site was even overrun by homeless wanderers - known as "kotjebi" in North Korea - who filled the empty hotels with faeces. Now, after years of delay, the ribbon will be cut this summer, with the first trips in July up for sale through Vostok Intur, a Russian travel agency.

And it seems Brits are keen. Holiday planners On The Beach made a page for people who were interested, and it racked up more than 250 sign-ups within a month. But campaigners warn that nobody’s safety is assured in Kim's kingdom. Greg Scarlatoiu, director of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, said a trip there would be unsafe and immoral. He said: “The Wonsan-Kalma resort was built with forced labour. Vacationing there is morally and ethically wrong – it is truly an abomination.

“Having Russian nationals vacation there is testament to the pathetic isolation of both Russia and North Korea.”. Past tourists in the country have even lost their lives. Greg gave the example of Otto Warmbier, an American student arrested on dubious charges during a trip to Pyongyang in 2016. Accused of taking down a propaganda poster, he was detained for 17 months. The treatment he received behind bars left him in a vegetative state, and he died after being released.

And he's not the only one. A South Korean tourist was shot and killed when he strayed too far from his resort in 2008, supposedly having entered a military area. Others have spent years rotting in Kim's prisons. Greg said: “Even if foreign visitors are from Russia, their safety can never be guaranteed. “The tragedy of Otto Warmbier continues to loom large. No one, not even Russian nationals, should travel to North Korea.”.

The Foreign Office also warns against all non-essential travel to North Korea. Its website cautions that "offences that would be considered trivial in other countries can incur very severe penalties in North Korea". One example would be "not paying sufficient respect, including not treating images of the current and former North Korean leaders with care”. It notes that the regime has “previously arrested visitors with or without specified charges”.

There is no date set for when Western tourists will be actually be allowed in. On The Beach said it was not currently offering holidays there and was “surprised” by the enthusiasm it received from Brits. Zoe Harris, chief customer officer, said: “We’re always on the lookout for the next best thing when it comes to all-inclusive resorts in incredible destinations. “We were intrigued whether Brits would be interested in the new Wonsan resort and so we set up a page where people could register their interest.

“We were surprised to see that more than 250 holidaymakers put their names down. “I don’t envisage us Brits swapping Benidorm for a North Korean Benidorm anytime soon. “But if the doors to the Wonsan resort are opened to British holidaymakers it looks like there will be some who want to experience it.”. Vostok Intur’s seven-night Wonsan itinerary includes four beach days, and costs about £1,500 all-in.