Kim Jong Un built a mega-resort. His one problem? The guests

This is not merely a tourism issue. It is fundamentally an economic one. With normal trade and financial transactions blocked by sanctions, North Korea’s avenues for acquiring hard currency are severely restricted. Tourism offers a relatively peaceful way to earn cash without having to sell weapons or risk military conflict. Yet, this is precisely where the fundamental dilemma of the North Korean regime begins. Tourism requires openness. Tourists do not bring money alone; they carry external information and culture, and they take back what they see and experience to the outside world. The more tourists arrive, the more foreign currency…