(LEAD) N Korea-hotels
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| ▲ North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) and his daughter, Ju-ae, take a tour of the newly built Ikkal and Milyong hotels in Samjiyon, a northern city near Mount Paektu, on Dec. 20, 2025, in this photo carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency on Dec. 23. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ This photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Dec. 23, 2025, shows Ikkal Hotel, one of five modern hotels newly built in Samjiyon, a northern city near Mount Paektu. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (L) and his daughter, Ju-ae, attend ceremonies to inaugurate the newly built Ikkal and Milyong hotels in Samjiyon, a northern city near Mount Paektu, on Dec. 20, 2025, in this photo carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency on Dec. 23. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap) |
(LEAD) N Korea-hotels
(LEAD) N. Korea's new hotels inaugurated in Samjiyon near peninsula's highest mountain
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By Kim Soo-yeon
SEOUL, Dec. 23 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has inaugurated five newly built hotels in Samjiyon, a northern city near the country's highest mountain, Mount Paektu, as its leader Kim Jong-un expressed an "unshakable" will to develop the area into an attractive mountainous tourist zone, state media reported Tuesday.
The North held ceremonies to officially open the new "modern" hotels in the Samjiyon Tourist Resort on Saturday and Sunday, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The North's leader has been pushing to turn Samjiyon into a major tourist designation as the country seeks to nurture tourism in an apparent bid to earn hard currency amid international sanctions.
While looking around major facilities at the Ikkal and Milyong hotels Saturday, Kim expressed his satisfaction that "all elements are at a high level" in terms of practicality, diversity and artistic features, according to the KCNA.
His daughter, Ju-ae, was seen accompanying him on a tour of the hotels, with the leader holding her hand, photos carried by state media showed.
"He expressed his unshakable will to turn Samjiyon City better into an innovative and highly civilized city representing the tourism culture of the country," the KCNA reported.
Kim also stressed the importance of the quality of service for developing tourism, calling for efforts to improve the professional qualifications of service workers at hotels.
North Korea has touted Samjiyon as the sacred birthplace of former leader Kim Jong-il, the late father of Kim Jong-un, though historians and foreign officials have said he was born in Russia.
In July 2014, Kim visited the site of a development project in Samjiyon, ordering the city to be turned into a major mountainous tourist spot. He called for the building of a large-scale ski resort within two years as part of his vision to foster major tourist attractions as sites of international tourism.
In a related effort, North Korea also opened the Wonsan Kalma coastal tourist area in its eastern region in July.
An official at South Korea's unification ministry said North Korea is expected to expand tourist zones as Kim earlier said the construction plan for massive tourist areas will be finalized at the upcoming key party congress.
He said North Korea may also consider the possibility of attracting tourists from China if it intends to develop Samjiyon as a large-scale tourist zone.
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