Seoul:<Text>
North Korea has continued to permit Russian tourists to visit its newly opened beach resort on the east coast, despite a temporary suspension of foreign tourist entries to the area, according to Seoul's unification ministry.
According to Yonhap News Agency, North Korea opened the Wonsan Kalma coastal tourist area on July 1 but halted foreign tourists' entry on July 18 without providing a specific reason. Despite this suspension, Russian tourists have been allowed to visit the resort as part of a group tour program, which occurred three times last month.
The tour program also includes visits to Pyongyang and Mount Myohyang in North Phyongan Province. North Korea previously described the Wonsan Kalma tourist area as being capable of accommodating nearly 20,000 guests, both domestic and foreign, with its hotels and hostels.
The project began in 2014 but faced delays due to material shortages from international sanctions and the COV ID-19 pandemic in early 2020. North Korea and Russia have strengthened their cooperation in military, economic, and other areas since signing a mutual defense treaty in June last year.