This massive show of
North Korean force
is meant to inspire
postcards,
not paranoia.
Troops and construction
workers gathered in June
to celebrate a new, sprawling
tourist destination
on the coast of Wonsan,
about two and a half
hours from Pyongyang.
But Wonsan is known for
more than sand beaches
and sunshine.
The North Korean regime
runs an air base in Wonsan
and it’s from here
that it planned
to launch missiles capable of
striking U.S. military targets
in Japan and Guam.
Live fire drills were conducted
here as recently as 2017.
That didn’t stop President Trump,
a former real estate
developer,
from spotting the potential.
“Whenever they’re exploding
their cannons into the ocean, right —
I said, ‘Boy, look at that view,
wouldn’t that make a great condo?’
And I explained, I said,
‘You know, instead of doing that,
you could have the best hotels
in the world right there.’”
Kim Jong-un was
already on the case.
In his 2018 New Year’s address,
he made those beach
condos a priority.
Satellite images
and other photos
reveal that the coastline has
been under heavy construction
since January,
even at night.
We see how these 
two missile launchpads
have given way to rows upon rows
of beachfront buildings.
Here on the left,
we see the beach
lined with artillery
for military drill in 2017.
And on the right, is the
same strip of land in 2018.
Construction of a tourism
destination is in full swing.
The project has at least
150 buildings, some as high
as 12 stories.
Pyongyang said
that the tourist zone
should attract at least one
million visitors per year.
But in a country
synonymous with
prison camps, purges, and
extreme poverty,
it is unclear where these
tourists will come from.
Yet the hope seems to be
that condos and cabanas
will get the cash flowing.
During a visit
to North Korea in May,
Secretary of State
Mike Pompeo said Americans
could help with that.
“Here is what this
will look like:
This will be Americans
coming in —
private sector Americans,
not the U.S. taxpayer —
coming in to help build out
the energy grid,
to work with them
to develop infrastructure.”
And that same week photos of
Kim visiting
the construction site
were published.
The North Korea of flashy
skyscrapers and shiny holiday
resorts that Trump showed
Kim in this inspirational video
at the
Singapore summit
might still be a way off.
“A new world can begin today,
where the doors of opportunity
are ready to be opened.”
But if Kim gives up
bombs for beaches,
it might be time to
reach for sunblock
instead of sanctions.
