Asia North Korean tourism beating missiles into waterslides.
The Hermit Kingdom's new resort is mostly for its own enjoyment rather than foreigners.
Less than a decade ago the Kalmar Peninsula was still being used to test weapons.
But on June 24th,
the Wonsan-Kalmar Beach Resort was at last ready enough for Kim Jong-un to relax poolside.
With his wife, daughter and cigarettes by his side,
North Korea's dictator looked on as a man shot out of a water slide.
Wonsan-Kalmar, which boasts five kilometres of beaches, cinemas,
shopping malls, restaurants and 54 hotels, opened to North Koreans on July 1st.
A Russian tour company plans to bring a group on July 7th,
but those keen to visit shouldn't pack their bags quite yet.
In 2019, about 350,000 Chinese tourists came to North Korea,
according to calculations by NK News, a South Korea-based outlet.
With each Chinese visitor spending around $500,
they estimated that the regime would net a tidy $175 million in revenues.
Some 4,000 to 5,000 Western tourists also visited every year, paying considerably more per head.
But when COVID-19 struck, North Korea sealed itself off from the world.
Tourists were not allowed back until February last year.
Visits have since been sporadic and mostly for Russians only,
though some non-Russian tourists were allowed to visit Rassan in the north in February 2025.