North Korea opens a mountain resort to boost tourism.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un opened a new mountain spa and ski resort that’s intended for people to enjoy “high civilization under socialism” in another example of the country using tourism exemptions in sanctions to build revenue for its broken economy.
Kim cut the ribbon during the ceremonial opening of the Yangdok Hot Spring Cultural Recreation Center and praised his soldiers for creating a “miracle and prefect edifice” that serves the ruling party’s efforts to guide people to modern civilization, a state media report said.
North Korea’s state TV showed aerial footage of the resort, including its red-roofed hotels, hot spring spas, ski slope and horse-riding park. The Yangdok resort, which the North began building last year, has been one of Kim’s major development projects along with another mountain resort recently completed in the northern town of Samjiyon and a summer resort being built in the coastal town of Wonsan.
North Korea has also demanded South Korea tear down its hotels and other facilities at the North’s Diamond Mountain resort.
