North Korea Opens New Resort in Samjiyon to Attract Global Visitors

Published on December 23, 2025

A major development took place on December 20, 2025, when the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Un, along with his daughter Kim Ju Ae, inaugurated an elite resort located in the far north city of Samjiyon, close to the Chinese border. This is also perceived to be one of the moves taken by the current leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Un, who aims at developing the country economically and advancing the tourism industry. Five luxury hotels, complete with facilities like barbecue restaurants, hot tubs, and recreational areas, were inaugurated.

A Sign of Economic Progress and Development
The opening of this luxury resort and its accompanying facilities is a move to demonstrate North Korea’s progress and resilience, especially in the face of international sanctions and internal economic challenges. Kim Jong Un framed the development of Samjiyon as a symbol of the growing ideals of the North Korean people and a testament to the potential of the state’s development. The grand opening of the hotels, which are equipped with modern amenities typically found in high-end tourist resorts around the world, is a clear attempt to show that North Korea has made strides in improving living standards for its citizens, even though much of the population remains impoverished.

The five newly built hotels in Samjiyon represent a significant investment in the country’s tourism infrastructure, and their high-end features highlight North Korea’s desire to project a modern image. Despite the ongoing challenges in the country, the leadership is seeking to position the resort as evidence of North Korea’s emerging development and its capacity to offer world-class tourist experiences.

Tourism to North Korea: A Controlled Experience
Tourism to North Korea has always been tightly controlled by the government, with only carefully managed government-approved tours allowed. These tours typically offer visitors a controlled, limited view of life in the country. The Samjiyon resort is an extension of Kim Jong Un’s broader efforts to boost tourism to North Korea, an area that has long been neglected in terms of global tourism development.

The government’s primary target market for the resort is foreign tourists. However, experts suggest that the Samjiyon resort might also serve as a reward for local workers in the form of “productive units,” furthering the political motivation behind these lavish developments. The resort’s amenities, including indoor and outdoor baths, are specifically tailored to appeal to foreign visitors who might be drawn to the country’s distinct cultural and political atmosphere.

A Strategic Tourism Push: The Role of Samjiyon and Beyond
The opening of the Samjiyon resort comes after the launch of North Korea’s Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone earlier this year, marking a continued push by Kim Jong Un’s government to develop tourism as a key sector of the economy. Samjiyon, a city known for its mountainous landscape, is now being promoted as an “innovative and highly civilized city” that represents the tourism culture of North Korea. The tourism initiatives in Samjiyon are part of a larger plan to elevate the country’s status on the global tourism map, albeit in a highly controlled and regulated environment.

Experts in South Korea believe that North Korea’s long-term goal is to attract large-scale group tourism, primarily from foreign visitors. Peter Ward, a research fellow at the Sejong Institute in Seoul, stated that the main demographic for these resorts is likely to be foreigners, particularly those visiting through government-approved channels. Ward also suggested that the resort could serve as a reward for workers and government employees, creating a dual-purpose tourism model that blends international appeal with domestic incentives.

Lim Eul-Chul, a professor at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University, speculated that North Korea may soon accommodate large-scale group tourism, facilitated by its proximity to the Chinese border. This could open up new avenues for tourism, especially in regions where North Korea shares its borders with China, a country with growing tourism ties to North Korea.

Samjiyon’s Potential for Cross-Border Tourism
One of the key factors that could drive tourism to Samjiyon in the near future is its location near the Chinese border. This proximity offers the potential for cross-border tourism, with tourists from China likely to visit the resort as part of group tours. This could open up a new market for North Korea, especially as China’s tourism sector continues to grow, and many Chinese tourists may be attracted to the unique and restricted experience that North Korea offers.

The development of the Samjiyon resort is just one part of a larger effort by Kim Jong Un’s government to enhance the country’s tourism infrastructure and attract foreign visitors. However, with the country’s political system and tightly controlled environment, it remains to be seen how successful these efforts will be in generating sustained tourism revenue and attracting a significant number of international tourists.

Implications for North Korea’s Global Image

While the opening of Samjiyon resort may indicate, without a doubt, some kind of progress in North Korea’s tourism endeavors, the country’s image before the whole world has still been set by its isolationist policy, controversial leadership, and very limited interaction with the outside world. For this reason, the potential for tourism development in North Korea will remain significant for specific segments of niche markets-for example, political tourism or people who do not feel disturbed to visit the hermit kingdom despite all the controversy it has.