N. Korea's Glossy New Surface — Apps, Beach Resort, and a Fake Starbucks

North Korea is taking inspiration from the West. In Pyongyang, elites drink coffee at a fake Starbucks and pay by mobile phone.

- Jiawei Wang and Choe Sang-Hun

SEOUL — About 160km away on the east coast, a seaside resort—a pet project of the country's leader Kim Jong Un—is stocked with foreign beers and decked out with water slides, ready to receive tourists.

To blunt the impact of international sanctions and bring in cash, North Korea is creating the look of prosperity by imitating its capitalist enemies.

The New York Times obtained footage from three recent visitors to the country: a Russian tourist, a Swedish marathon runner, and a Chinese student.

While the foreigners had North Korean chaperones and were not allowed to film construction sites and military personnel, they provided a rare glimpse into how Mr. Kim's modernization plans are nurturing a new culture of consumerism in one of the world's most isolated and authoritarian countries.

The goods they encountered are out of reach for most North Koreans, who earn, on average, a little more than US$1,000 (S$1,280) a year, according to South Korea.

'NORTH KOREAN IKEA'

The student from China who was taking language classes in Pyongyang said he initially thought the country would be backward. "I was worried about not having enough food or warm clothes," he said. "But when I arrived, I found it to be quite luxurious."

The student, whose name is being withheld for fear of reprisals from officials, said one of the city's most upscale spots was a multi-story shopping mall, Rangrang Patriotic Geumganggwan, which sold a range of furniture, kitchenware, and food products. He said he and his fellow Chinese students called it "North Korean Ikea" as the layout and products looked like they had been directly lifted from the Swedish furniture company.

While it was unclear if the products were imitations or real ones that were smuggled in, some items like lamps and lampshades appeared to have the same name and packaging as those sold at Ikea stores.