North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's government has been building the coastal city of Wonsan into a beachside resort town, according to a report from Reuters.
Wonsan occupies a special place in North Korean politics, acting as both a luxury getaway for elites and a testing ground for missile, artillery, and other military tests.
But Kim has an ambitious vision for the city — he hopes to redevelop it into a tourist destination that will generate billions of dollars, and hopes to do so by attracting foreign corporate investment.
Here are 12 photos that capture the surreal nature of the Wonsan project:
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Wonsan is a city along North Korea's east coast where North Korean officials announced they would be undertaking a massive redevelopment program in 2014.
The city has special meaning for North Koreans, including Kim Jong Un.
Wonsan has historic significance to North Koreans — the city was where Kim Il Sung landed with Soviet forces to oust the Japanese in 1945, and although no state records can confirm this, many believe his grandson Kim Jong Un was born in the city.
Despite the extreme hardships facing the North Korean people, most North Koreans who have been to Wonsan, including even defectors to South Korea, hold a high opinion of the idyllic bars and barbecues on the city's beaches.
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