North Korea is suspending the entry of foreign tourists to a recently opened mega beach resort, a move that dims prospects for the complex that leader Kim Jong Un hailed as "one of the greatest successes this year".

DPR Korea Tour, a website run by North Korea`s tourism authorities, said in a notice Wednesday that the eastern coastal Wonsan-Kalma tourist complex "is temporarily not receiving foreign tourists". It gave no further details including why a ban was established or how long it would last.

North Korea says the complex can accommodate nearly 20,000 guests. The resort opened to domestic tourists July 1 before receiving a small group of Russian tourists last week. Observers expected North Korea to open the resort to Chinese tourists while largely blocking other international tourists.