Institute for Far Eastern Studies (IFES)
The opening ceremony for the Chongsu Tourist Development Zone, an area designated as one of North Korea’s economic development zones (EDZ), took place on October 30, 2014.
According to a report on October 31 by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the Chongsu Tourist Development Zone is an EDZ which was developed under the July 23, 2014 decree of the Standing Committee of the DPRK Supreme People’s Assembly, and covers nearly 3,800 hectares in various parts of Pangsan-ri and the Chongsong Workers’ District in Sakju County, North Phyongan Province.
It was reported that the Chongsu Tourist Development Zone was opened through cooperation between North Korea’s North Phyongan Provincial People’s Committee and China’s Liaoning Province, Dandong City People’s Government, and Dandong Overseas Travel Co. Ltd.
In an interview with the KCNA, Kwak Jin Ho, director of the North Phyongan Provincial People’s Committee’s Department for Economic Zone Development, said about the development prospects of the Chongsu tourist zone: “This area will be developed into a tourist zone equipped with modern tourism and service facilities while also highlighting the distinct characteristics of Korean folklore.”
Director Kwak also stated, “The zone’s infrastructure, public facilities and tourist service facilities will all be built to meet modern standards. Currently there are plans to construct factories for special product manufacturing, as well as areas for livestock, orchards and fisheries. With these targets, there are also plans for a cultural recreation district, Korean folk village, general services area, Korean folk hotel, as well as processing plants for spring water, fruits, wild greens and kimchi.”
In addition, Director Kwak said in the interview, “The hillsides will be transformed into orchards to create a tourist destination filled with scarlet and white peaches and other high quality fruit trees.” With regards to visiting the area, Director Kwak stated, “Due to the geographical location of the tourist zone being along the border, tours are generally half-day or one-day trips.”
It was also noted that the Chongsu and Youlgol Revolutionary Historic Sites will be included among visitor destinations, and that there are plans to include the Chongsong Bridge, which was used in the Korean War, and other Pangsan-ri locations as tourist destinations.
With regards to the tourist development zone, the KCNA expressed its anticipation, saying, “When it begins, tourism will attract many tourists to this zone and will therefore form an international tourism link between Chongsu and Dandong, China.”
Here is coverage in KCNA (2014-11-1):
Chongsu Tourist Zone Opens in DPRK
Pyongyang, November 1 (KCNA) — A ceremony took place on Thursday to open the Chongsu Tourist Zone in the DPRK to visitors.
The Chongsu Tourist Zone is an economic zone to be developed under the July 23, Juche 103 (2014), decree of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People’s Assembly, which covers some parts of Pangsan-ri and Chongsong Workers’ District in Sakju County, North Phyongan Province. Its total area is more than 3 800 hectares.
The work for opening the zone has been pushed ahead under the cooperation between DPRK’s North Phyongan Provincial People’s Committee and China’s Liaoning Province, Dandong City People’s Government and Dandong Overseas Travel Co. Ltd.
According to Kwak Jin Ho, director of the Economic Zone Development Department of the North Phyongan Provincial People’s Committee, the zone will turn into a tourist development zone equipped with modern facilities.
Its development project includes the construction of tourist service establishments and supply bases such as cultural recreation district, Korean folk village, folk hotel and production bases for specialties, livestock and marine products and fruits. Hillocks of the zone will be changed into orchards of high-yielding fruit trees as a tourist destination.
Half-day or one-day tour is mainly encouraged in the zone while its development going on as it is located in a frontier. The tourist destinations will include Chongsu and Youlgol revolutionary sites associated with activities of Kim Hyong Jik, an indomitable revolutionary fighter, and Chongsong Bridge used during the 1950-1953 Korean War.
The tourism in the zone will provide an international tourist link between Chongsu and Dandong, China.
Here is video coverage:
Here is coverage in the Pyongyang Times:
An inaugural ceremony was held on October 30 at Pangsan wharf to signal the start of tour of the Chongsu Tourism Development Zone in Sakju County, North Phyongan Province.
The participants got aboard a pleasure boat and went up the Amnok River enjoying sightseeing.
The Chongsu Tourism Development Zone was set up by a decree of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People’s Assembly on July 23 2014, and it covers part of Pangsan-ri and Chongsong workers’ district in Sakju County.
The zone faces part of Dandong, Liaoning Province, China on the other side of the Amnok River.
It is spread over some 3 800 hectares, with 1 413 hectares in Pangsan-ri and 2 330 hectares in Chongsong district.
It is to be developed with much emphasis on the Korean folk taste and equipped with latest service facilities for tourists.
The project includes building of infrastructure, public amenities, service facilities and bases for processing specialities, animal husbandry, and fruit and fish farming.
Major objects to be developed are amusement district, folk village, service district, folk inn, spring water factory and other establishments for processing fruit, wild edible greens and kimchi.
A variety of good fruit tree species will be planted on hills to add to the green scenery of the zone.
Tour of sites will be conducted in parallel with development of the zone.
A tour spans half or one full day, given that the zone borders China.
On the list of the tourist sites are the Chongsu and Youlgol revolutionary sites associated with activities of Kim Hyong Jik, an outstanding leader of Korea’s anti-Japanese national liberation movement, the broken Chongsong bridge which had been used by Chinese People’s Volunteers when they entered the Korean front during the Fatherland Liberation War (June 1950 – July 1953), the seat of Pangsan-ri, historical relics from the period of the feudal Joson dynasty in the Chongsong workers’ district.
The start of tour of the zone will help forge an international tourist link between Chongsu and Dandong and promote regional tourism and economic development.
