Despite Japan’s strong economic sanctions on North Korea due to the abductions of Japanese nationals and tensions over Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile program, the tourism sector is not subject to sanctions, making it a legitimate means of earning foreign currency for North Korea. North Korea has even opened its doors to Americans and has received as many as 200,000 foreign tourists a year before the COVID-19 pandemic. The Kim Jong Un administration has a strong interest in inbound tourism, evident with the opening of Yangdeok Hot Spring at the end of 2019, but foreign visitors’ activities are heavily restricted and controlled. Before the pandemic, Pyongyang was beginning to enjoy some economic growth, and the cityscape has improved compared to the Kim Jong Il era. However, control always has priority over currency, and North Korea does not issue visas to those it classes as undesirables. In January 2020, North Korea stopped accepting tourists due to the pandemic, and the construction of the Wonsan Kalma Beach Tourist Area was postponed indefinitely. The economic interest in bringing back foreign tourists may outweigh the military interest in bolstering deterrence with more missile tests, but it is entirely up to Kim.