Inside Kim Jong-un’s sprawling new coastal resort
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was spotted strolling down the beach this weekend as he made a high-profile visit to the country’s much-anticipated seaside resort. Launched in 2014, North Korea’s long-delayed Kalma beach resort was originally supposed to open in June 2019 but has faced repeated delays, including design changes, sanctions-related material shortages, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
![[Skyline view of the newly built Kalma coastal tourist area in Wonsan, North Korea, December 29, 2024, in this photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency. KCNA via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THIS IMAGE. NO THIRD PARTY SALES. SOUTH KOREA OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN SOUTH KOREA.]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SEI_234600576-37e8.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
Yet despite its rocky history, Kim appeared confident during his tour, declaring the project ‘a world-class scenic spot that will be loved by our people and foreigners alike’. Accompanied by his daughter, Ju Ae, in her first public appearance since October, Kim walked along the sandy beaches and inspected the Kalmaegi Hotel, the luxurious centerpiece of the resort.
![[Skyline view of the newly built Kalma coastal tourist area in Wonsan, North Korea, December 29, 2024, in this photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency. KCNA via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THIS IMAGE. NO THIRD PARTY SALES. SOUTH KOREA OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN SOUTH KOREA.]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SEI_234600583-cc7d.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
Photos released by state media showed Kim and his daughter, who is rumoured to be groomed to succeed the dictator, sharing moments by the seafront as officials briefed them on the progress. Kim expressed grand ambitions for the resort, describing it as a symbol of North Korea’s potential to rejuvenate its economy through tourism. ‘This is more than just a beach,’ he told state media. ‘It represents a new era of socialist cultural construction and a driving force for regional revitalization.’.
![[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his daughter Kim Ju Ae visit the newly built Kalma coastal tourist area in Wonsan, North Korea, December 29, 2024, in this photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency. KCNA via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THIS IMAGE. NO THIRD PARTY SALES. SOUTH KOREA OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN SOUTH KOREA.]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SEI_234600589-3844.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
With a coastline twice the length of Hawaii’s famous Waikiki Beach, the Kalma Beach Resort boasts a staggering scale. The resort is set to include over 7,000 rooms, 17 hotels, and dozens of service establishments, with Kim even suggesting it could even serve as a venue for future political meetings and summits.
