▲ Photos of major tourist destinations recently opened by North Korea, including the beach area of the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Region, the Samjiyon ski resort, and hot spring hotels, are displayed on a bulletin board next to the main gate of the North Korean Embassy in China, located in Beijing's Chaoyang District.
The North Korean Embassy in Beijing, China, has posted a large number of photos on its outdoor bulletin board featuring tourism and commercial facilities, as well as newly built residential areas, including the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Region.
This is seen as an intention to highlight achievements in the economic and livelihood sectors by placing photos of recent tourism and recreational facilities alongside on-site inspection photos of past leaders, including leader Kim Jong Un.
The North Korean Embassy in China put up eight photos reflecting recent economic development situations on its bulletin board, including the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Region beach, the Samjiyon ski resort, large-scale modern bars along the Taedong River, and the night view of downtown Pyongyang.
The Kalma Coastal Tourist Region is a large-scale coastal resort promoted by leader Kim as a key project to foster the tourism industry. Construction work was completed in June of last year, and it has been open to North Korean residents and Russian tourists since July.
The exhibits also included the Rakwon County Coastal Aquaculture Station, a new fishing village housing district, and large-scale hot spring facilities.
It was also confirmed that the photo in the exact center, which previously featured leader Kim Jong Un alone, was replaced with a black-and-white photo of President Kim Il Sung meeting with residents.
Centered around this photo, eight photos were hung on the left showing leader Kim Jong Un inspecting amusement facilities, trams, shops, restaurants, and flood-hit areas, or meeting with veteran soldiers and war merit recipients.
On the right, four active-duty photos each of President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong Il were posted.
These were taken between 1961 and 2011 at small shops, factories, and crop harvest sites.
The photos of tourist and commercial facilities were placed with four each at the bottom of the left and right leader inspection photos for easy comparison at a glance.
The bulletin board of the North Korean Embassy in China serves as a space showing North Korea's official external image in China, and photos are replaced irregularly.
Given that it is a propaganda space for North Korea, it is also evaluated as a symbolic place where the leadership's messages can be read.
This year, the bulletin board photos have been replaced around major anniversaries such as the birthdays of General Secretary Kim Jong Il and President Kim Il Sung, and photos featuring leader Kim Jong Un and his daughter Ju Ae together have been repeatedly put up, drawing attention.
Some analyze that North Korea's display of photos showing glamorous tourist and commercial facilities aims to emphasize that the leaders' activities in the economic and livelihood sectors are continuing steadily, while also flaunting the economic development achievements of Kim's era.
Regarding the exhibits, a diplomatic source explained, "There likely is a purpose to repeatedly promote new facilities externally and flaunt the achievements of economic growth," adding, "Attempts to improve its external image can also be read."
It also draws attention that North Korea introduced its major tourist destinations extensively in Chinese at a time when it has not been allowing Chinese group tourists to enter the country since closing its borders due to the spread of COVID-19.
Although North Korea and China resumed international passenger train and direct flight operations in March of this year after six years, holders of ordinary Chinese passports are still in a state where they must have a North Korean visa or tourist certificate to travel to North Korea.
However, as North Korea-China economic and trade cooperation gains rapid momentum—such as the official opening of the New Yalu River Bridge connecting Dandong, China's Liaoning Province, and Sinuiju, North Pyongan Province, North Korea, on the 15th—prospects that tourism might soon resume are also being raised.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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