Pyongyang, ruled by the Workers’
Party of Korea, is a fascinating and
secretive city of monumental buildings
and public festivals. Though it’s existed
since 1122 BC, its modern skyline was
built from scratch after World War Two.
Behind the pomp, the North Koreans
go about their every day business –
picnicking on Moran Hill, strolling by the
Taedong River and playing volleyball in
their lunch breaks.
THE STORY
OF THE TWO
KOREAS
Korea has been
divided into two
countries since
the end of World
War Two. After the
separation, conflict
developed between
the north (backed
by China and the
former Soviet
Union) and the
south (backed
by the United
Nations, USA and
other countries).
The Korean War
occurred between
1950 and 1953,
and ended with
nobody winning.
The country was formally divided into
the Democratic People’s Republic of
Korea in the north and the Republic
of Korea in the south. A no man’s land
called the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone)
still separates them.
THE FAMILY BUSINESS
North Korea has only ever
had three ‘Supreme Leaders’
– Kim Il-sung (who died in
1994), his son Kim Jong-il
(who died in 2011) and his
grandson Kim Jong-un, who
is in government now. The
people of Pyongyang are
devoted to their ruling family.
Although Kim Il-sung died
over 20 years ago, he is still
recognized as North Korea’s
president. Kim Jong-un,
the ‘Great Successor’, is the
world’s youngest state leader,
although his exact date of
birth remains a secret.
NO VACANCY (YET)
After being largely destroyed during the Korean
War, Pyongyang was rebuilt from scratch to an
elegant plan. These days the central city looks
very grand – there are wide, straight streets,
monumental buildings and lots of impressive
statues. The pyramid-shaped Ryugyong Hotel is
definitely the most eye-catching of all, towering
over 330m (1,082ft) into the sky. It’s hard to get
a room there, however. Although construction
started in 1987, it still hasn’t opened for business!
KUMSUSAN PALACE
OF THE SUN
Once a government building, then a
palace for the leaders of North Korea,
the fabulously named Kumsusan Palace
of the Sun is now the world’s largest
mausoleum. When the first leader of
the country, Kim Il-sung, died his son
reportedly spent £67 million converting
Kumsusan into a resting place for the
Supreme Leader. Now both father and
son lie there, embalmed and under
glass, as admiring visitors are carried
slowly past on a travelator.
SINGING IN
THE REIGN
The people of Pyongyang
love to sing and most bars have
a karaoke machine. City dwellers like
to croon along to popular western music
including The Beatles and Celine Dion, but
they also have their own girl band called
Moranbong. It is said that the girls in the
band were handpicked by Kim Jong-un!
They each sing and play their
own instruments.
PECKISH IN PYONGYANG?
People in Pyongyang like to eat lots of rice,
noodles, pickles and vegetables, plus just a
little meat. The one thing on offer in all of
Pyongyang’s few restaurants is kimchi
. Usually
made with cabbage, kimchi
is a blend of
vegetables fermented with chilli and salt. It’s
fiery, delicious and no table in the city ever
does without it.
RUNGRADO 1ST
OF MAY STADIUM
Pyongyang has the
largest stadium in the
world, built for the public
celebrations the government
likes to hold regularly. Named
the Rungrado 1st of May
Stadium, it seats an amazing
150,000 people, which is
twice as many as Manchester
United’s Old Trafford.
Rungrado is used for football,
athletics and North Korea’s
gymnastic and artistic games,
the Arirang Festival.