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# North Korea's Tourism Push Comes at a Cost to Local Residents
- URL: https://www.karlsnotes.com/north-koreas-tourism-push-comes-at-a-cost-to-local-residents/
- Published: 2025-08-12T07:46:11.000Z
- Updated: 2025-08-12T07:46:11.000Z
- Author: Karl
- Tags: Politics

DailyNK uses satellite data to [reveal](https://www.dailynk.com/english/lights-out-locals-north-korea-new-resort-blazes-bright/?ref=karlsnotes.com) 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](https://www.dailynk.com/english/north-korean-logistics-officials-scramble-feed-workers/?ref=karlsnotes.com) 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](https://www.dailynk.com/english/going-mobile-north-korean-traders-move-business-home-evade-restrictions/?ref=karlsnotes.com) to keep the resort powered up, as [satellite](https://www.dailynk.com/english/satellite-evidence-points-heightened-operations-north-korean-nuclear-site/?ref=karlsnotes.com) photos reveal.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a9/c1/a9c1efd2-da6f-45fb-8f22-c82eb72a046a/content/images/2025/08/image-2.png)

> 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](https://www.dailynk.com/english/cash-strapped-n-korean-diplomats-reveal-financial-struggles-through-airport-luggage/?ref=karlsnotes.com). It appears electricity has been rationed for downtown Wonsan residents, with power redirected to run the coastal tourist zone and its bright lights.