Alicia Chong
Image credit: South China Morning Post (via YouTube)
North Korea, a country known for being highly protective of their privacy only allowing access to foreigners through private tours, has opened a new mountain spa and ski resort for tourists.
Called Yangdok Hot Spring Cultural Recreation Center, it was built from start to finish with the supervision of Kim Jong Un. Located in the east of its capital, it features modern rooms, hot spring spas, a horse-riding park and even a ski resort.
According to Korean Central News Agency, North Korea has recently opened another mountain resort in Samjiyon and will be opening another coastal resort at Wonsan soon.
This comes after news broke last week of its plans to launch a company that provides medical tourism services for tourists to visit hot spring spas and state-run hospitals, as well get treatments for dental implants, breast tumours and cataracts.
The government has also demanded South Korea to tear down the existing facilities at the North’s Diamond Resort which they intend to rebuild by themselves. This comes after a disagreement with South Korea to defy US-led sanctions and a suspension of tours to the resort after a North Korean guard shot down a South Korean tourist.
Tourism is exempted from U.N. sanctions over nuclear weapons as well as coal, textiles and seafood exports.
Will the opening of these resorts achieve Kim’s goals of “high civilization under socialism”? And would you be interested in going on a wellness resort visit in North Korea?
Also read: What to Expect When Visiting the North Korean Border On a Day Trip
