Wonsan is where Kim Jong Un spent part of his childhood with his mother, according to biographers and intelligence reports, and one expert told the BBC the city has been associated with the family since his father Kim Jong Il’s rule.

A defector who served for 13 years guarding residences used by then leader Kim Jong Il – through the 1990s to the early 2000s – told the BBC the villas around Wonsan were used as a retreat by the elite. He recalls seeing dozens of children and teens waterskiing during summer.

North Korean state media rarely publishes reports about Kim being on holiday, instead framing such visits as official inspections or guidance. But defectors interviewed by the BBC appeared to be aware that the family spent holidays in Wonsan, suggesting that at least some North Koreans knew about it.

North Korean state media also claims Wonsan is home to high-rise hotels, restaurants, shops, sports facilities and water parks, and can accommodate nearly 20,000 visitors.

State media and Russian outlets have published images of small groups of Russian tourists visiting the Wonsan Kalma resort, which opened in July 2025. Although developed to attract foreign visitors, the resort is also open to local tourists.