North Korea's Tourism Push Comes at a Cost to Local Residents

DailyNK uses satellite data to reveal how North Korea's new beach resort gets priority electricity access while local residents face increased power restrictions:

The Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Area—a pet project of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un—finally opened on July 1, eleven years after construction began. Kim attended the lavish opening ceremony with his daughter Kim Ju Ae, and even his wife Ri Sol Ju made a rare appearance after staying out of the public eye for a year and a half. The first foreign visitors, a group of Russian tourists, hit Kalma Peninsula’s beaches on July 7 and are scheduled to return in August. North Korea isn’t accepting Chinese tourists yet.

The Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Area is a North Korean-style resort complex with stunning nighttime coastal views—the lights never go out. But behind Myongsasimni Beach’s dazzling display lies a harsh reality: Wonsan residents are dealing with electricity restrictions to keep the resort powered up, as satellite photos reveal.

Using visible and infrared imagery averaged over 31 days of May photos, I studied Wonsan, Kalma Peninsula, and the surrounding area. This approach smooths out weather-related errors for more accurate analysis. In May—when construction was in full swing before the July 1 opening—the Myongsasimni Beach area was clearly lit up like a beacon. At the same time, lighting had dropped significantly around Wonsan Harbor, downtown Wonsan, and near the international airport. It appears electricity has been rationed for downtown Wonsan residents, with power redirected to run the coastal tourist zone and its bright lights.