A Glimpse Behind the Curtain: Manufactured Reality?
When North Korea opens a new attraction, it is always as much about propaganda as it is about policy. Tourists and journalists permitted to see the country are almost always subject to heavy curation. Locations are cleaned up, locals are rehearsed, and dissent is carefully hidden from view. The Wonsan-Kalma zone will likely be no different.
Analysts believe the regime hopes to use the resort to paint a picture of a modern, peaceful, and fun-loving North Korea—a stark contrast to the international perception of the country as a nuclear-armed dictatorship. In this way, the beach resort functions as a kind of soft power tool, albeit one designed for a very controlled audience.
State media broadcasts feature images of laughing children, happy families, and clean boulevards—all set to triumphant orchestral music. These images are designed to project normalcy and pride, suggesting that while the West suffers from political division, war, and moral decay, the people of North Korea are unified and happy under Kim Jong Un’s rule.
This is the same strategy that has been used with Pyongyang’s Ryomyong Street, Mansudae Grand Monument, and other large-scale vanity projects. These areas are carefully maintained and showcased while the rest of the country—often plagued by poverty, inadequate housing, and failing infrastructure—is hidden from sight.