A surreal copy of Kim’s Benidorm: North Korea’s Spanish-style resort opens (and it’s as strange as you imagine)

Imagine a bit of the atmosphere of Spain’s beautiful Benidorm: sunny beaches, high-rise hotels, lazy afternoons on the sea.

It now ports a stunning image into a state of militarized secrets with a rich history of human rights abuses. Does it sound strange? It will become a stranger.

Now you are in Wonsan Karma, North Korea’s latest resort, east of the country. UN Kim Jong is welcomed as a “world-class tourist and cultural destination.” And it opened the door for foreign tourists, with its initial goal of attracting over a million vacationers, mainly from Russia and China.

A Spanish resort rethinked by dictatorship

The story behind Wonsan Kalma is very surreal. In 2017, UN Kim Jong himself reportedly sent a large team of North Korean architects and officials on his fact-finding mission to Benidorm.

They took notes on everything about Spanish towns: hotels, theme parks, marinas, and even the concept of artificial lakes.

result? Wonsan Karma, a strange echo on the Spanish coast, fell into one of the world’s most closed countries. The resort also includes 43 beachfront hotels, an artificial lake guesthouse, campsite and even an Aquatic Park towering with yellow slides. It is all designed to mimic the Mediterranean escape.

Benidorm, North Korea, but there is no freedom

That’s why Wonsan Kalma was launched last month and now welcomed its first foreign tourists. Well, to be precise, we’re talking about 12 Russian tourists on a weekly trip, $1,800 (about 1,550 euros). BBC.

Of course, there’s a catch. Unlike Benidorm, freedom is not part of the package. You are constantly being monitored, and the water park does not completely hide the wounds of forced labor.

The brutal story behind Wonsan Kalma

And unlike Benidorm and Spain, where tourism drives opportunities, the North Korean version is plagued by the brutal circumstances in which it was built.

Satellite images, internal documents and testimony from North Korean exiles; BBCpointing to the systematic use of forced labor. Workers endured hunger, extreme times, and in some cases even death.

Kang Gyuri, an exile who lived in Wonsan, says that her cousin volunteered for construction in hopes of getting favor with the government. Instead, he got fatigue, close to the stars, and no compensation. “He barely had any sleep. They couldn’t eat enough for him. Some died while working,” she said. BBC.

Can Wonsan Kalma be popular among Russians?

Despite its great ambitions, Wonsan Kalma is far from becoming the new Benidorm. Isn’t that possible?

North Korea remains sealed, and Russian tourists have much easier and safer options in countries like Turkey, Thailand, Vietnam and Egypt.

Still, three Russian agencies are offering tour packages for North Korea, with more scheduled for August. However, experts remain reserved. “It’s rarely a serious popularity with Russian visitors,” says Seoul-based Andrei Rankov.

What remains, however, is that North Korea built a resort inspired by Benidorm. This is a sign that we can also draw inspiration from what capitalists and imperialists do. Ironically, isn’t that?

So, do you want to book a trip? Please let me know in the comments.

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