North Korea opening new tourist site

North Korea next week will open a signature coastal tourist site that it says will usher in a new era in its tourism industry.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un toured the site and cut the inaugural tape at a lavish ceremony, the official Korean Central News Agency reported.

Kim said its construction would be recorded as “one of the greatest successes this year” and called the site “the proud first step” toward realizing the government’s policy of developing tourism, according to KCNA.

KCNA said the Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist zone has hotels and other accommodations for nearly 20,000 guests who can swim in the sea, play sports and other recreation activities and eat at restaurants and cafeterias on site.

The tourist zone will begin service for domestic tourists on July 1.

KCNA reported North Korea will confirm plans to build large tourist sites in other parts of the country, too.