After 10 months of intensive construction, North Korea’s first luxury ski resort—Masikryong Ski Resort—has finally taken shape. The BBC reports that the resort is scheduled to open on October 10, the 68th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party of Korea. According to the BBC, a notice board at the construction site urged workers to meet a final deadline on Thursday. South Korean media also reported that the resort would open on the 10th, but those reports were all based on the BBC. In response, the North Korean side simply stated that the ski resort will be put into use this winter, without providing a specific opening date.
Construction site of the “Masikryong Ski Resort”
“Masikryong Speed” is a popular slogan in North Korea these days. This phrase originates from the key project that the country has been vigorously advancing this year—the Masikryong Ski Resort. According to North Korean media, the resort features 10 ski runs extending down various slopes from the peak of Daehwa at 1,360 meters above sea level in the Masikryong Mountain Range, including advanced, intermediate, and beginner slopes, catering to skiing enthusiasts and suitable for hosting world-class ski competitions. It is a massive comprehensive project that not only includes basic facilities such as ski runs and cable cars, but also a range of auxiliary projects such as hotels, ice rinks, swimming pools, underground parking, heating facilities, residential buildings, kindergartens, roads, bridges, as well as surrounding greening works like tree planting and grass seeding.
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), workers at the Masikryong Ski Resort have overcome challenges such as high altitude and unfavorable transport conditions, demonstrating a spirit of perseverance, great effort, and unity between the military and civilians. With the determination to move mountains and fill seas, they have driven progress on the project. By late July, 55% of the total construction work had been completed. On September 12, the 100th day since Kim Jong Un issued the call to “Create ‘Masikryong Speed’ and usher in a new golden era on all fronts of socialist construction,” 85% of the work had been completed. KCNA released a photo feature with 46 images showcasing the construction efforts of the creators of “Masikryong Speed” to the nation. Other construction projects across the country are also actively advancing in an effort to achieve a second or even third “Masikryong Speed.”
South Korea’s Chosun Ilbo reported on the 10th that North Korea believes the ski resort will stimulate the country’s tourism economy in the future. According to North Korean plans, the resort will operate 250 days a year, with ticket prices around $50 per person. Initially, visitors from nearby provinces in North Korea will be the main customer base, followed by tourists from neighboring countries. The resort is expected to generate total annual revenue of $62.5 million, of which $43.75 million will be net profit.
In response, the BBC states that North Korea has a population of 24 million, with only about 5,000 people who know how to ski—equivalent to just 0.02% of the population—and questions whether there will be enough visitors once the resort is completed. South Korea’s Daily NK website said the Masikryong Ski Resort shows that “what China and South Korea can build, North Korea can build too.” Some South Korean media believe the ski resort is being developed with the 2018 Winter Olympics in mind: the facility could serve as a training base for athletes, and also facilitate potential co-hosting of the Games with South Korea and provide venues for ski competitions. The UK’s Guardian reports that the construction process has been fraught with setbacks, with the site experiencing multiple heavy rains and landslides. Although builders claim they are “achieving double the targets every day,” major supporting facilities remained incomplete as of last week.