The summer camp in Wonsan has a maximum capacity of about 1,200 children.The main building of the Songdowon International Children's Camp.
Courtesy of Yuri Frolov
According to Young Pioneer Tours, which leads tours to the campsite, a 2014 renovation led by North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un increased the Wonsan campsite's capacity to around 1,200 children.
Most kids are North Korean, though some come from Russia, China, and other parts of the world.Campers at Songdowon International Children's Camp.
Eric Lafforgue/Art in All of Us/Getty Images
Rowan Beard, a tour manager for Young Pioneer Tours, told Business Insider that the camp has previously accepted schoolkids from Russia, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Mongolia, Mexico, and other countries.
A former camper told BI that the North Korean kids are largely segregated from international visitors.The dormitory building of Songdowon International Children's Camp.
He said they only met briefly on their last day of summer camp.
Some kids went because it seemed like a cheap beach holiday, a former camper says.Girls shower at a beach in Songdowon.
Wong Maye-E/AP
Frolov, who went to Songdowon to see North Korea with his own eyes, told BI that many others in his cohort were there for a different reason — a chance to go on a beach vacation for very little money.
The summer camp is heavily subsidized by North Korea, and he said it only costs visiting campers about $300 to $400 for the trip.
It also has a private beach area.
The dorms are supervised, but kids still get up to trouble, one ex-camper says.Inside a dorm room at Songdowon International Children's Camp.
Eric LAFFORGUE/Getty Images
Frolov, the former camper, said it was easy for kids to buy alcohol and cigarettes in North Korea.
Though the dorms were supervised, he said that it didn't stop his cohort, most of whom were about 12, from getting blind drunk during their first couple of nights of the camp.
There are relics from North Korea's former leader.A tent visited by Kim Jong Il at Songdowon International Children's Camp in 2008.
Eric Lafforgue/Art In All Of Us/Corbis via Getty Images
The camp was opened in 1960. Relics, such as a tent visited by Kim Jong Il, are on display.
The camp was set up to foster relations with foreign countries through hosting their children.
Kids sing propaganda songs about the country's former Supreme Leaders, an ex-camper says.The concert hall where campers at Songdowon International Children's Camp sing songs about North Korea's leaders.
Courtesy of Yuri Frolov
International campers are still expected to partake in patriotic rituals.
Frolov, the former camper, said they had to sing songs in Korean about North Korea's former leaders using Russian-language lyric sheets.
This would take place in a large concert hall called the International Friendship Children's Hall, he said.
He added that they also needed to polish a statue of North Korea's founder.Kim Il Sung statue at the Songdowon summer camp in 2008.
Eric Lafforgue/Art in All of Us/Getty Images
Another unusual ritual, Frolov said, was being made to polish the statue of Kim Il Sung.
Although it was professionally cleaned weekly, he said, they were expected to polish it for dust to show respect for the country's founder.
There are lots of facilities on the vast campsite.North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits the Songdowon International Children's Camp.
Thomson Reuters
The vast campsite has many facilities, including amusement park rides, an arcade room, a rock-climbing wall, and an aquarium.
The Sindok Aquarium has turtles and sharks.A tank at the Sindok Aquarium at the Songdowon International Children's Camp.
Those on display include a stuffed northern goshawk, North Korea's national bird, the group said.
Campers have an athletic track, as well as other sporting facilities.A view of the athletics track and playing field at the Songdowon International Children's Camp.
Carl Court/Getty Images
Songdowon has an athletics track and playing field. It also has a basketball court and archery range so campers can stay active.
One camper said there are often swimming races.Children swim at the campsite's indoor swimming pool.
Frolov, who previously attended the summer camp, said campers often competed in swimming races.
There's a full-size waterpark, also supposedly requested by Kim Jong Un. Songdowon International Children's Camp has a full-size water park with waterslides and a boating lake.
Frolov, the former camper, told BI he struggled to find food he wanted to eat. He said he mainly survived on rice, bread, and potato wedges.
He said that about once a week, seafood was on offer, but otherwise the food was bland or outright untasty.
Russian kids will get to experience Songdowong again this summer.Children walk through Songdowon International School Children's Camp, where Russian children will be sent this summer.
Carl Court/Getty Images
A group of Russian children is scheduled to stay at Songdowong from the end of July until early August.
This will be the first trip in a while, given that trips to the summer camp were paused during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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