Wonsan: North Korea has completed the construction of a railway station at the Wonsan-Kalma tourist area on the east coast, as reported by state media on Friday. This development represents a strategic move by the nation to bolster its tourism sector.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) announced that a ceremony marking the completion of Myongsasimni Railway Station took place the previous day. The event was attended by high-ranking officials, including Vice Premier Pak Hun. The 7,000-square-meter station was praised by state media as a "model of Korean-style local railway station," designed to cater to the needs of tourists.

The Wonsan-Kalma resort is one of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's notable development projects. Officially opened in June 2025, it can reportedly accommodate up to 20,000 visitors at a time. During a visit to the resort in June, Kim Jong-un revealed plans to modernize railway stations in provincial cities nationwide, urging officials to apply lessons from the project. Despite acknowledging "some shortcomings" in the station's construction, Kim called for improved quality control and skill enhancement among the construction team.

A KCNA photo previously identified the station as Kalma Tourist Railway Station, but its name has apparently been changed to Myongsasimni Railway Station. Chang Yoon-jeong, deputy spokesperson at South Korea's unification ministry, noted this change at a regular briefing, emphasizing the absence of any reports on a second station and Kim's comments on the need for further work there.

Efforts to attract visitors to the resort have intensified, with domestic flights operating to and from Pyongyang since July 23. According to Flightradar24, a flight-tracking site, state carrier Air Koryo runs the route twice weekly, on Mondays and Thursdays, utilizing Ukrainian company Antonov's An-148 aircraft.

Pyongyang's state media have initiated a promotional campaign for the resort, claiming that tens of thousands of people have visited the area this summer. The KCNA reported, "The Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist area in the DPRK is now overflowing with many visitors who came from across the country by train or bus to enjoy the Korean-style tourist culture." DPRK is the official name for North Korea, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.