A large new North Korean ski resort near the Chinese border is starting to take shape, according to NK Pro analysis of satellite imagery, while new construction has also begun at an existing ski resort on the east coast.

Kim Jong Un promoted Samjiyon and its new ski resort as a major tourist destination for both foreign and domestic travelers when he visited in July 2024 and December. China’s ambassador to the DPRK has also visited Samjiyon and the Wonsan Kalma beach resort and expressed hope for restarting tours to the city.

Aside from a small number of Russians, foreign tourists have been largely barred from the country since the start of the pandemic in 2020, and it remains unclear when Samjiyon will open to foreigners.

SAMJIYON

Planet Labs imagery shows rapid progress in recent months at the new Samjiyon Mountainous Tourist Resort (삼지연산악관광지구) project, as authorities may be pushing to complete one of three large new lodging districts in time for this winter.

The area closest to completion is at the base of an old ski hill that belonged to a special military ski unit until recently, with imagery showing dozens of multi-story lodgings sprouting up since April and roofing installations underway.

New ski hills were carved out of a mountainside to the north starting in late 2024, and new resort villages started to be constructed in April this year at its base and closer to the Samjiyon Airport located nearby. Large hotels and dozens of smaller lodgings are still under construction in these areas.

A project to upgrade Samjiyon Airport with a new terminal and a runway more suitable for large passenger and cargo planes is progressing as well, though progress on a large train station connected to the terminal appears slow. 

The station will be raised on pillars to ensure operation through sustained snow cover during winter from November to March, as well as the connecting rail line connected to Samjiyon City to the southwest, the new ski resort to the southeast and the town of Sinmusong on the way to a newly upgraded Chinese border customs complex to the northwest. 

Only partial digging and foundation work has been completed on around 23 km of the planned raised tracks, with pillars installed on less than 20% of the distance.

There are not yet signs that the new rail line will extend north to the Chinese border from Sinmusong. This section of the line may be intended to bring tourists to Sinmusong from the ski resort and Samjiyon City, to take advantage of new attractions or hotels that now appear under construction.

China built a large new customs complex at the border starting in late 2022 that appears unfinished, while work has yet to start on a large planned economic zone next door, suggesting wariness over immediate business prospects.

Cabinet premier Pak Thae Song visited the Samjiyon resort construction sites twice in recent months. He implied in April that workers lacked a sufficient amount of “advanced and efficient equipment.” 

State media reported on another inspection by Pak on Tuesday, where he called the project proof of the party’s “intention for the promotion of the people’s wellbeing,” but did not provide further details on its timeline. 

MASIK PASS

New construction also began recently at the Masik Pass (Masikryong) ski resort near Wonsan on the east coast, Planet Labs imagery shows.

Preparations appeared to begin in the main lodging area at the foot of the ski hills, as well as on the road leading into the resort, between June 18 and 23. 

The latest imagery taken this week show new buildings under construction, possibly to increase capacity as authorities and local tour companies seek to make Masik a regular stop for travelers to the new Wonsan Kalma beach resort nearby.

Masik was built in 2013 and is the oldest of Kim Jong Un’s ski resort projects. Kim then opened the much larger Yangdok hot springs and ski resort in late 2019, but it has yet to open to regular foreign tour groups.  

State media has used tourist attractions like the sprawling new beach resort and luxurious hotels in Samjiyon as key propaganda vehicles for its message about improving the lives of ordinary people, promising annual visits will be possible. 

In the short term, Pyongyang is likely to advertise Masik’s upgrades as a way to enjoy Wonsan Kalma in winter, and the new Samjiyon ski facilities as a stop during pilgrimages that many North Koreans must take to the so-called holy area around Mount Paektu. Authorities falsely maintain Samjiyon is the birthplace of former leader Kim Jong Il, who was actually born in the Soviet Union.

Edited by David Choi