Wonsan – Mt. Kumgang International Tourist Zone of the DPRK

In May Juche 104(2015) the investment explanatory meeting of the Wonsan- Mt. Kumgang International Tourist Zone was held on Mt. Kumgang,a celebrated mountain in Korea.

The Wonsan-Mt. Kumgang International Tourist Zone is situated at the seaside of East Sea of Korea.

A flight from Russia, China, Japan and other neighboring countries to the zone takes one or two hours and a round trip flight from Shanghai and Hong Kong, China and other large cities takes three or four hours.

Its development area covers an area of 43 600ha including Wonsan City and Popdong, Anbyon, Thongchon, Kosong and Kumgang counties.

Wonsan, centre of the tourist zone and gateway city to the Mt. Kumgang is the seat of Kangwon Province and a port city of culture and recreation.

With natural mountains, fields, the sea and lake in good harmony, the zone abounds in tourist resources which have been widely known to the world for a long time and needs to be developed.

It has historic relics and remains which show a part of time-honored history and glorious culture of the Korean nation.

The Songdowon International Children’s Camp and other monumental edifices, pleasure grounds and rest homes are social tourist resources the Koreans boast of.

“The Wonsan-Mt. Kumgang International Tourist Zone” boasts of natural tourist resources of the world.

Mt. Kumgang 105km from Wonsan City is one of the 6 most famous mountains in Korea.

The peloid of the Lake Sijung in the zone, one of the famous natural treatment tourist resources is widely used in treatment for chronic interstitial hepatitis, chronic gastritis, nervous system disorders like neuralgia and female disorders and the mineral water of the Sogwang Temple is also efficacious for treatment of chronic gastritis, diabetes, obesity, arteriosclerosis and heart disease.

Masikryong Ski Resort 25km away from Wonsan City is well-known as an alpine sports tourist resource.

The bathing beaches on the white sands of the east seaside including Songdowon Bathing Beach are sea sports and sightseeing resorts for home and foreign tourists.

It is provided with substructure facilities for tourist service.

In the center of Wonsan City there are accommodation facilities including Songdowon Hotel, Tongmyong Hotel and so on.

Masikryong Hotel, a tidy building in the mountain area, can accommodate over 300 tourists.

The Mt. Kumgang area also has Kumgangsan Hotel, Oegumgang Hotel, Haeyang Hotel and other accommodation facilities and Tanphung Restaurant, Mokran Restaurant and other facilities serving national dishes.

A tourist highway stretches from Pyongyang, the capital of the DPRK to Mt. Kumgang via Wonsan.

Transportation is ensured by the railway along the east coastline, international airport and passenger harbors.

The development of the Wonsan- Mt. Kumgang International Tourist Zone is being actively advanced under the care of the party and government of the DPRK.

The DPRK law on the economic development area guarantees legally the investment of foreign enterprises which take part in the development.

The Wonsan- Mt. Kumgang International Tourist Zone in the DPRK, a marine country, sea-bound on three sides will become an excellent model of development of coast tourist zone.