1 hr ago
Kim Jong Un Expands State-Controlled Leisure Across North Korea
Kim Jong Un is building more places where people in North Korea can shop, eat and have fun.
These places include malls, coffee shops, resorts, waterparks and game arcades.
North Korea is also importing more equipment such as treadmills, pianos and bumper cars.
Experts say the government wants people to spend money in official businesses instead of informal markets.
This could give the government more control over money and create new income.
Many people have gained wealth through trade, but not everyone can afford the new activities.
A former Pyongyang driver said people like him have little access to many new restaurants and leisure facilities.
Electronic payment systems may also let the government monitor spending.
Analysts say the plan may help the economy for now, but it may not guarantee public loyalty forever.
North Korea is opening luxury malls, resorts, waterparks, restaurants and other leisure facilities for domestic consumers.
Chinese customs data show sharp increases in North Korean imports of massage equipment, treadmills, pianos and amusement rides.
Analysts say Kim Jong Un is channeling private spending into state-controlled businesses to weaken informal markets and raise revenue.
New attractions include the Wonsan Kalma beach resort, hotels and planned ski facilities near Samjiyon, plus regional leisure complexes.
The consumption drive is uneven, with defectors and analysts saying poorer residents have limited access and may distrust electronic payments.
- Who
- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and the North Korean government are expanding state-controlled leisure and retail facilities for domestic consumers.
- What
- North Korea is promoting consumption through luxury malls, resorts, restaurants, entertainment venues and imported leisure equipment.
- Where
- The developments are concentrated in Pyongyang and are also appearing in Wonsan, Samjiyon and Rason.
- When
- The expansion has accelerated since 2022; the Wonsan Kalma resort opened in summer 2025, and a luxury mall opened in 2025.
- Why
- Analysts say the policy is intended to direct private spending into official economic networks, reduce reliance on informal markets and support growth.
Supporters and Analysts See Economic Benefits
Critics Highlight Control and Inequality
Purpose of the consumption drive
Supporters and Analysts See Economic Benefits
Analysts say new leisure and retail venues can stimulate domestic demand, provide outlets for accumulated savings and support economic growth.
Critics Highlight Control and Inequality
Other analysts say the government is using official venues and payment systems to monitor spending, squeeze informal markets and strengthen state control.
Access to new amenities
Supporters and Analysts See Economic Benefits
State media and visitors describe expanded access to malls, resorts, restaurants, waterparks and entertainment facilities, including the heavily visited Wonsan Kalma resort.
Critics Highlight Control and Inequality
A former Pyongyang driver said people like him have little access to many new restaurants and leisure facilities, suggesting the consumption boom is not broadly shared.
Long-term political effect
Supporters and Analysts See Economic Benefits
Greater consumption may reduce frustration by giving residents more opportunities to spend money and enjoy leisure activities.
Critics Highlight Control and Inequality
Professor Ruediger Frank cautioned that consumption may only buy time and does not guarantee loyalty forever; the expansion could also reduce incentives for sanctions relief or renewed nuclear negotiations.
Key facts
- Economic growth
- South Korea’s central bank estimated that North Korea’s economy grew 3.5% in 2025, its third consecutive year of growth above 3%.
- Wonsan visitors
- More than 300,000 domestic visitors reportedly attended the Wonsan Kalma resort during the second half of 2025.
- Import increase
- North Korean imports of massage equipment from China increased 40-fold over the past decade, according to the report.
- Treadmill shipments
- Shipments of treadmills increased by more than 600% over the past decade.
- Amusement equipment
- North Korea imported more than three metric tons of bumper cars from China between January 2025 and July 2026.
- Electronic payments
- A 2023 law required every bank and store in North Korea to accept electronic payments.
- New developments
- At least two dozen leisure complexes containing facilities such as libraries, restaurants and movie theaters were completed or under construction, according to state media.
Quotes
Ruediger Frank
Professor of East Asian economy and society at the University of Vienna
“A middle class of roughly eight million people with savings and nowhere to spend them”
theprint.in
“Consumption buys time. It does not buy loyalty forever.”
theprint.in
Kang Seong-hyeon
Research fellow at the Seoul-based Hyundai Research Institute
“the production, distribution, and capital flows concentrated in the markets into an official economic space managed by the state”
theprint.in
Sources
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