Lake Sijung

Lake Sijung, on the road between Wonsan and the Kumgang Mountains, is a 2.94-square-kilometre lake that was originally a sea lagoon before a sand barrier formed and enclosed it. The result is an unusual landscape: a calm lake with seven small islands, set immediately beside the Sea of Japan. North Korean tour programmes sometimes include Lake Sijung as part of a Wonsan-Kumgang itinerary.

The lake is used for boating, and the therapeutic mud on the lakebed is one of the more unexpected North Korean tourism attractions. A sanatorium offers treatments to North Korean and, occasionally, foreign guests. The combination of the lake, the offshore coast, and the mountain backdrop makes Sijung one of the most photogenic spots in the Wonsan area.

things to do sight
A story
Lake Sijung was once a lagoon open to the Sea of Japan; over centuries, a natural sand barrier built up and cut it off from the sea entirely, creating a sheltered freshwater lake beside the ocean. The therapeutic mud on the lake bottom — rich in minerals from the isolation process — is promoted by North Korean health authorities as beneficial for skin conditions and joint problems. The sanatorium at the lake has been treating patients since the 1960s.