Kalma Tourism Zone

large-scale tourist zone on the eastern coast of

The centerpiece of the project is the redevelopment of the Wonsan-Kalma Airfield and Kalma Peninsula into a modern airport and a tourist area with multiple high- and low-rise buildings along a 4 km beach

new airport opened in September 2015, construction of the resort started in 2018 and was planned for an opening in 2019 but setbacks and the pandemics have stalled construction till now.

38north.org

Wonsan- Kalma Transition from military to civilian tourism

- Kalma peninsula was home to a few KPA facilities

- Wonsan Air Base, Kalma Rest House, a theater, a palace and a KPA artillery testing ground

- 2002-2009: rest house converted into the Saenal Hotel and the palace into the Kalma Hotel. A gymnasium was built on the site of a KPA sports ground and what appears to be a new rest home was built for the KPA

- new chalets were constructed Wonsan-Mt. Kumgang International Tourist Zone

June 11 2014, the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly of the DPRK issued a decree on naming the Wonsan-Mt. Kumgang International Tourist Zone

the zone would become an international tourist destination with beaches, the recently-opened Masikryong Ski Resort, natural attractions such as the Ullim Waterfall and Mt. Kumgang and other historical spots

Other plans included underwater hotel, flower park, international meeting hall, exhibition and exposition hall and stadium

Planned capacity for 100,000 people

Early reports on the plan say one of the reasons Wonsan was chosen was because it’s less than two hours flying time from major cities in China, Russia and Japan. It also sits at a major railway junction with service to Dandong, China, via Pyongyang, and Khasan, Russia, via Hamhung and Chongjin.

70 investment projects for the region

“The Zone will be a fine example of a coastal tourist region and bring satisfactory economic profits to all investors in its development. “

Introduction to Investment Projects in Wonsan-Mt. Kumgang International Tourist Zone (2015) Wonsan- Kumgang Ullim Falls

Masikryeong Ski Resort

38th parallel Wonsan Intl Airport Transformation Introduction to Investment Projects in Wonsan-Mt. Kumgang International Tourist Zone (2015) Resort Masterplan and Features Pyongyang University of Architecture

50 tent villas (천막숙소) Mini golf (미니골프장) 12 hotels (호텔)

Movie theater (영화관) Olympic-sized swimming pool (야외수영장) 28 “lodging quarters” or “villas” (자취숙소)

Exhibition hall (전시관) Ice skating rink (야외스케트장) 27 residential buildings, camp or extended-stay quarters (산림집구획,

민박숙소 합숙) Arcade or game center (종합오락관) Main beach square (해안광장)

26 independent service buildings (shop space) (독립봉사건물) Restaurant complex (종합식당) Outdoor stage (야외무대)

Two shopping malls (종합상점) International telecom company building (국제통신사) Traditional Korean culture complex (민족문화체험)

48 single-building villas or mansions (빠넬숙소) Financial services center / Bank (금융봉사소) Management facilities (관리운영)

Sports field (야외체육장) Indoor water park (실내물놀이장) Reserved plot for as-yet undecided construction (전망건설예비부지)

State media, 2018 Construction delays

The construction of the resort was rapid, but was met with delays after visits from Kim Jong Un where he suggested changes to construction.

Deadlines missed:

Apr 15, 2019

Oct 10, 2019

Apr 20, 2020

Kim’s Visits:

Aug 2018

Oct 2018

Apr 2019

38north.org Construction delays

The construction of the resort was rapid, but was met with delays after visits from Kim Jong Un where he suggested changes to construction.

Factors for delay:

Changes could be prompted by the Singapore Summit (june 2018)?

Kim’s shifting focus to other projects as of 2020 have also diverted efforts. (Nknews.org, 2020)

Strict coronavirus prevention policies (Nknews.org, 2020)

Sanctions on imports

38north.org Noting that buildings look separated and are little different from each other in height, he gave instructions to make the height of the buildings different, plan more hotels and service buildings 30 and 25 storeys high and ensure that the connection between buildings are more harmonious and peculiar, so as to polish the overall street layout in an artistic way.

Korean Central News Agency, August 17, 2018.

He instructed officials to envisage the construction of more hotels and inns with over 30 floors as he told in August and to arrange an office building which will house party and the working people’s organization committees, the management committee, the security organs, the judicial and prosecution organs, etc. as a high-rise building near the coastal area so that they can become part of the street.

He also gave the officials a detailed orientation to build more game arcade, all-event stadium and movie houses within the area and plan a large water park and funfair in the vast area between the coastal line and the airport.

He gave the officials the task to build a huge parking place in the area, rebuild the Kalma station and deeply study the issue of settling the public transportation in the area.

Korean Central News Agency, November 1, 2018.

The builders should not push forward the construction of the Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist area in speed campaign to finish till the Party founding anniversary this year after the sea-bathing season, but postpone the construction period six months until the Day of the Sun next year to perfectly finish it…

Korean Central News Agency, April 6, 2019.

Slowed Construction

Reduction in worker dormitories

https://www.38north.org/2020/05/wonsan051920/ Slowed Construction

No observable progress on water park

https://www.38north.org/2020/05/wonsan051920/ Media hype around Wonsan Wonsan Local Tourism

Songdowon Beach & Songdowon Sea Bathing Resort see tourists from across NK and some foreign tourists but no where near levels envisioned for the region Songdowon https://www.rockyroadtravel.com/wonsan-in-the-summer/ Aram Pam Other Attractions in Wonsan

SOKWANG TEMPLE 600-year old cultural heritage site of the Koryo Dynasty

CHONSAM COOPERATIVE FARM supplying the agricultural needs to surrounding communities,1700 people

WONSAN REVOLUTIONARY SITE preserved railway station of Japanese colonial times is where President Kim Il Sung stayed overnight in the guesthouse on return from exile after the liberation of the Korean peninsula from Japan in 1945

KANGWON PROVINCE ART GALLERY exhibition of socialist-realistic and landscape style artworks by locally acclaimed artists

WONSAN AGRICULTURE UNIVERSITY North Korea’s first and largest agriculture university, established to train scientists in agricultural chemistry and production

https://www.uritours.com/blog/wonsan-travel-guide/ Local Delicacies