Kim Jong Un unveiled a new lavish seaside resort that is set against what human rights observers describe as stark realities of hunger and hardship across North Korea. CNN’s Will Ripley reports on the high-rise hotels that can accommodate nearly 20,000 people.

Pyongyang

North Korea has completed the Wonsan Kalma coastal resort, a large-scale development featuring luxury hotels, villas, and recreational facilities, with capacity for nearly 20,000 people. The project, personally overseen by Kim Jong Un, is seen as a display of the country's ambitions to attract tourism and project an image of prosperity.

Despite the resort's opulence, much of North Korea continues to face significant challenges, including shortages of food, medical care, and electricity. Access to the resort is highly restricted, with only local residents and Russian tour groups permitted to visit, while Western and Chinese tourists are currently excluded. The development raises questions about its viability and the contrast between the resort's luxury and the country's ongoing hardships.

Kim Jong Un built a resort for 20,000 people. But who will visit?

Kim Jong-un's yacht glides ashore on North Korea's eastern coast, the Wonsan Kalma coastal tourist zone, miles of white sand beaches, water sports, luxury villas, 1,500 hotel rooms. Wonsan was known as the ruling Kim family's favorite summer retreat and one of North Korea's most active military testing grounds. Well, they have great beaches. You see that whenever they're exploding their cannons into the ocean. And I explained, I said, you know, instead of doing that, you could have the best hotels in the world right there. President Donald Trump once pitched U.S. investment in Wonsan. Where the doors of opportunity are ready to be opened. Investment from around the world. One moment, one choice. Today, seven years later, Kim beat Trump to the punch, building it on his own. The resort features grand hotels with luxurious amenities, even international-grade summit halls. A soft power backdrop, perhaps setting the stage for diplomacy. Kim did bring the Russian ambassador for the grand opening. These days, Pyongyang reportedly won't even accept Trump's letters at the United Nations. Kim's wife, Ri Sol-ju, made her first state media appearance in more than a year, often walking several steps behind her husband and their teenage daughter, believed to be Kim Ju-ae. She often appears alongside her father at official events, fueling speculation she's being groomed as a possible successor. Kim personally inspected the Wonsan project at least six times, including once when I was there reporting for CNN. On the ground here in North Korea, now they're building a beachfront resort that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un came here to Wonsan to inspect just yesterday. How have things improved under Kim Jong-un? Every day we see changes, he told me, like new construction. The new resort includes a massive water park and a surf machine generating artificial waves and this very real wipeout. And grannies firing pistols on horseback. This retiree says she was moved to tears thinking about how their leader has given them such amazing benefits, even as much of the country still struggles with food shortages, medical care and electricity. Now North Korea celebrates a resort. Kim built it without Trump, without aid, without compromise, and with every single one of his nuclear weapons still intact. They built it, but who will come? Aside from locals, only Russian tour groups can visit the beach resort, certainly no Westerners, not even Chinese tourists, at least for now. In fact, it may be quite some time before North Korea even comes close to being able to fill those dozens of brand new hotels designed to accommodate up to 20,000 people. Will Ripley, CNN, Taipei.

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