North Korea before Kim Jong-un is a paradise for tourists

Today, only the bravest tourists visit North Korea, and in the 70s and 80s, citizens of communist countries went there en masse to rest. Vintage advertising of those years shows photos of people having fun on the beach, in amusement parks and enjoying local cuisine. It's a little different from what we see now.

With such photos, Korea lured tourists from the allied communist countries in the 70s and 80s.

Among other things, Korea attracted tourists with volleyball, a favorite sport in the country.

Another" bait " for tourists was group gymnastics classes.

The beach in Wonsan.

A beach in Hamhung, the second largest city in North Korea.

Unlike the beaches of Spain and Greece, which were simply packed with tourists, the beaches of Hamhin were deserted.

People jump from a platform in Wonsan.

A woman stops a taxi at the Ryanggang Hotel in Pyongyang, 1986.

The family is resting at the Taesongsan Water Park, which is located near the capital.

Taesongsan Amusement Park. It is still open.

Many people do not even think about going to Pyongyang, but tourism remains an important source of income and is actively encouraged by Kim Jong-un. Most tourists, especially from Western countries, go to North Korea on sightseeing tours, and they are rarely allowed to leave the capital. Life in Pyongyang is not much different from life in major cities, and photos of tourists are useful for the regime to spread a favorable image of the country. All tourists are accompanied by a person who controls where tourists go and what they take pictures of.

Parents with children at the Songdowon International Children's Camp. The camp was intended mainly for foreign children, so it was actively advertised in tourist brochures.