Special to WorldTribune.com

Everybody’s gone surfin’ – surfin’ PRK?

With the country’s tourism industry sinking drastically, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has given permission for a surfing camp to be held on the east coast. Tourism fell by 40 percent last year.

For $2,777.04 (1,800 British pounds) surfers not only get to attend the camp but take a ride on the Pyongyang metro and visit the demilitarized zone (DMZ) bordering South Korea. They also reportedly will be asked to bow before statues of late leaders Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il.

After Kim gave the all clear, 20 surfers reportedly signed up for the camp and are on their way to North Korea’s beaches. Italian surfer Nicola Zanella, who is the Chinese national surfing team coach, and Andrea Lee, chief executive of U.S. travel company Uri Tours, are said to be leading the group.

Nicola said he believes North Korea has a lot of surfing potential.

“It is promising for surfing, as the cliffs protect the bay from wind coming off the ocean, but at the same time leaves the bay completely exposed to coastal storms.”

The camp is being held this month reportedly because Zanella hopes surfers will benefit from wind and waves from the north-east and east – possibly from a monsoon that could blow in from Japan.

  Kim Jong-Un, Kim plans to revive North Korean tourism by creating surfers’ paradise, Nicola Zanella, WorldTribune.com