North Korea’s most notable experiment with international tourism came in the late 1990s, when it opened the scenic Mount Kumgang area on its southeastern coast to visitors from South Korea.

When President Trump met North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un for a historic summit in 2018, he tried to show a rosy future North Korea could aspire to. “As an example, they have great beaches.

North Korea used to fill it with pieces of artillery during military drills. In recent years, however, Mr. Kim has lined the beach with newly built water parks and multistory resort hotels.