Kim Jong Un’s North Korea is on the verge of opening a brand new seaside town to visitors nearly four years later than intended.
The Wonsan-Kalma beach resort features shops, hotels, beach chairs, and a turtle-shaped arena which are primed to welcome visitors later this year.
So far, the facility has only hosted Russian journalists and visitors who travelled to the nation in February to preview the resort.
While it has now been completed there are some issues as Russian tourism companies have not reportedly been given any further details. Britons will not be able to access North Korea because the country’s borders are closed to people from the UK.
It’s claimed the resort will play host to tour groups and domestic students looking to soak up some sea and sun and forms part of attempts by the dictator to show he can focus on domestic and as well as military priorities.
The news of the near-completion resort comes at a time when tensions between North and South Korea are at an all-time high as the two countries exchange balloons across the border.
Earlier this month activists from the south sent balloons filled with US dollars, leaflets and K-pop across the border in response to the north sending similar balloons filled with rubbish to the south.
In a statement following the manoeuvre North Korean defector Park Sang-hak – who leads a South Korean civilian group – explained what they had done.
He said: “We sent the truth and love, medicines, one-dollar bills and songs. But a barbaric Kim Jong-un sent us filth and garbage and he hasn’t made a word of apology over that.
“Our group, the Fighters for Free North Korea, will keep sending our leaflets, which are the letters of truth and freedom for our beloved North Korean compatriots.”
In an official response to North Korea’s decision to send bags of rubbish, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol warned: “Recently, North Korea carried out a despicable provocation that would make any normal country ashamed of itself.
“The government will never overlook the threat from North Korea. We will maintain an iron-clad readiness posture and respond to provocations resolutely and overwhelmingly.”
