Kim Jong Un has made it a national priority to turn the east coastal region from Wonsan down to Mount Kumgang into a major international tourism area, showing off Wonsan’s miles of beaches and Mount Kumgang’s rugged natural beauty, with official plans seeking to draw in a million visitors annually.

He has also taken up the task of improving regional and domestic tourism by building theme parks, ski resorts, hot springs, and even rebuilding the entire city of Samjiyon to become the country’s “gateway to the north” and a key stop before reaching sacred Mount Paektu