Cold Showers and Power Outages: Chinese Tourists Demand Refunds After North Korea Trip

Pilot Tour Group From China Visits Wonsan-Galma for 8 Days and 7 Nights

Tourists Complain About Hotel Blackouts and Lack of Hot Water

Demanding "Refunds and Compensation for Damages"

Chinese tourists who visited the Wonsan-Galma Coastal Tourist Area, touted by North Korea as its greatest tourism achievement, are now demanding refunds for their trip.

A view of Wonsan-Galma Coastal Tourist Zone, a resort area in North Korea. Photo by Yonhap News

On August 23, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported that "a Chinese travel agency organized a pilot tour group of about ten Chinese nationals and sent them to North Korea at the end of June." The group departed from Dandong at the end of June and completed a 7-night, 8-day itinerary, traveling through Sinuiju and Pyongyang before touring Wonsan-Galma in early July.

However, problems surfaced as soon as they arrived at their accommodation. Tourists had to stay in dark hotel rooms for some time due to frequent power outages, and there was no hot water, forcing them to wash with cold water. A resident of Dandong familiar with the matter said, "The hotel had its own backup generator to prepare for blackouts, but since it took time to activate, this generated significant complaints from the tourists." The visitors also said that meals, transportation, and communication services all fell short of their expectations. There was further dissatisfaction with the itinerary, as it included locations like the Korean Revolution Museum, which serves to promote Kim Il Sung and his family.

The travel cost was 7,500 yuan (about 1.5 million won) per person, but tourists claim they spent even more on-site. It was reported that some within the group even remarked, "We paid the highest prices only to experience the worst conditions." A local source in China said, "Tourists are now demanding not only a refund of their travel expenses but also compensation for damages." The travel agency that recruited the tour group is reportedly facing closure due to these collective protests.

North Korea's Korean Central Television reported on the 2nd that "Wonsan-Galma Coastal Tourist Area, built as a world-class tourist park, is currently bustling with workers continuously coming from all over the country." Yonhap News

Meanwhile, Wonsan-Galma is a large-scale coastal complex that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has promoted as a major achievement in tourism. Although Kim ordered its construction early in his tenure in 2015, completion was repeatedly delayed by material shortages and the COVID-19 pandemic. Only after dozens of buildings were established along a 5.5-kilometer stretch of Myeongsashimli Beach did the resort finally open on July 1 of last year. North Korean media have heavily promoted facilities such as a water park, jet skis, and cruise ships.

However, the number of Russian tourists—North Korea’s main target market—who visited last year was estimated to be only around 7,000. Both accessibility and high costs are seen as major obstacles. Russian tourism packages require at least 12 hours to travel from Vladivostok to Wonsan-Galma and cost more than 2.7 million won, while traveling from Dandong, China to Wonsan also takes about 18 hours. Group tours for Chinese tourists, who traditionally make up North Korea's primary customer base, have yet to fully resume.

Even after a year since opening, facility repairs are still ongoing. North Korea recently constructed the Galma Tourism Railway Station to connect directly with the Galma Airfield runway. In June, Kim Jong Un visited the site and criticized the incomplete finishing work, stating, "In the construction sector, more detailed evaluation systems for construction quality management must be developed, site supervision capabilities must be strengthened, and efforts should be focused on improving the technical and functional skill levels of workers." According to the Korean Central News Agency, Kim also directed officials to specialize in the configuration and operation of tourist trains.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.