Masik-Ryong ski area

Masik-ryong
Masik-Ryong ski area, in the background the summit of Taehwa
Size of the ski area	2.43 km²
place	20 km away from Wonsan away
mountain	Taehwa
Coordinates	39 ° 3 '12 " N , 127 ° 15' 0" E Coordinates: 39 ° 3 '12 " N , 127 ° 15' 0" E39.0532 127.25 1360
Lifts	3

The Masik-Ryong ski area , which opened at the turn of the year 2013/14, is the first and so far only opened ski area in North Korea . It stretches from the 1360 m high summit of Taehwa Mountain down to Masik Pass at 768 m. The modern ski station is an ambitious prestige project by the head of state Kim Jong-un ; it stands in contrast to the hardship in the country. The project was repeatedly used for political propaganda. Photos with Kim Jong-un on the construction site or wearing a fur hat in the chairlift made the world press.

Location and infrastructure

The ski area was built in accordance with international standards and in accordance with the requirements of the FIS world association . It covers an area of 243 hectares. The ski station is only 20 km west of the city of Wonsan ( Kangwon-do province ). To the capital Pyongyang it is about 180 km in the opposite direction. The annual average temperature in Masik-Ryong is +10.4 ° C with −3.6 ° C in January and +22.5 ° C in July. Snow can fall from late November to early April when cold winds from Siberia absorb moisture over the Sea of Japan and hit the mountains of the Korean peninsula . Snow cannons and an artificial water reservoir are also available.

Masik Ryong Hotel

The ski area has nine runs with different levels of difficulty and a toboggan run. There is a gondola lift, two double chair lifts, a drag lift and a floor conveyor belt to transport skiers. The infrastructure necessary for a winter sports resort was built together with the ski slopes. There is a so-called snow park and a kindergarten for children. An ice rink was also built. In the center of the ski station is the generously designed Masik Ryong Hotel. Especially for foreign guests, it offers 120 beds as well as restaurants, internet in the rooms and a spacious wellness area.

The best way to get to the ski area is via the Pyongyang-Wonsan expressway , Pyongyang is around 190 kilometers away, and Wŏnsan around 50 kilometers.

investment

The construction work in the previously undeveloped area began in July 2012. The ski station was opened at the turn of the year 2013/14. The military supported the work with massive use of personnel and equipment. Kim Jong-un described the project as "a gigantic patriotic work". A propaganda poster on the construction site announced: “Full attack. March forward. Let's end the Masik Pass ski resort within a year by fighting an aggressive battle ”. Western media explain the construction of the ski area, among other things, with the fact that Kim Jong-un went to school in Switzerland in the 1990s and that he has been very enthusiastic about skiing ever since. The investment costs for the ski station (excluding the acquisition of land, clearing and landscaping) were estimated at USD 35 million. Some pieces of equipment such as snowmobiles , snow groomers , snow cannons and older ski lifts come from manufacturers in western countries such as Austria , which found a detour into the country despite severe international trade sanctions. The Swiss Federal Council , on the other hand, banned the Bartholet company from delivering a modern train to a Chinese partner at the last minute by classifying the train as a luxury good. The government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea claims that the project is environmentally friendly. The energy supply will soon come from wind turbines and solar energy.

Economic expectations

The government expects the ski area to generate interest in neighboring countries. The main target is the Chinese in the densely populated area along the east coast and the Japanese. This expectation is u. a. The reason for this is that for the aforementioned Chinese there is no ski region within a similar travel distance that has comparable requirements in terms of length of the runs, height difference and technical equipment. The ski pass initially cost 40 USD per day. The planning documents show that an average of 5000 foreign visitors per day are expected over an operating period of 10 months. A justification for the assumption of such a long ski season and for the assessment of the number of visitors cannot be inferred from the planning. Given these prerequisites, the planning calculation shows a very attractive return on investment. Ski equipment can be rented for USD 16 per day. Locals have different prices for day tickets and rent.

Around 70,000 guests are expected to visit the ski area every year.

Sporting and political expectations

According to the government's will, international competitions are to take place in Masik-Ryong. Since Pyeongchang in South Korea hosted the Winter Olympics in 2018 , political competition may also have played a role in the investment decision. According to official government documents, the ski area is used to promote foreign currency tourism, gain worldwide prestige and the recreation of its own compatriots, with the intellectual working population and young people being mentioned as important target groups. After all, the government hopes that North Korea will also have athletes in the future who can achieve success at the Winter Olympics. At the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi , North Korea was not represented recently because no North Koreans could qualify.