Pyongyang

Pyongyang is the capital and largest city of North Korea. It is located on the Taedong River about 109 kilometers (68 miles) upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. According to the 2008 population census, it has a population of 3,255,288.

Pyongyang is one of the oldest cities in Korea. According to legend, it was founded in 1122 BC on the site of the capital of the legendary king Tan'gun. It was the capital of two ancient Korean kingdoms, Gojoseon and Goguryeo, and served as the secondary capital of Goryeo. Following the establishment of North Korea in 1948, Pyongyang became its de facto capital. The city was again devastated during the Korean War, but was quickly rebuilt after the war with Soviet assistance. The city was declared to be the official capital with the 1972 Constitution.

Today, Pyongyang is the political, industrial, and transport center of North Korea. It is home to North Korea's major government institutions, as well as the Workers' Party of Korea, which has its headquarters in the Government Complex No. 1. Under the leadership of Kim Jong Un, there has been a construction boom in the city.

Names

The name "Pyongyang" comes from Chinese words meaning "flat land," which describes the smooth ground of the city. In old Korean, the city had other names that also meant "land of the field."

Pyongyang has had many names throughout history. During a time when many people in the city followed Christianity, it was called the "Jerusalem of the East." Today, in North Korean news, it is sometimes called the "Capital of the Revolution."

After the leader Kim Il Sung passed away in 1994, there were ideas to rename the city, but these plans were never used.

History

Prehistory

In 1955, people found old homes in a big village near Pyongyang called Kŭmtan-ni. These homes were from very old times, called the Jeulmun and Mumun periods.

Some people think Pyongyang might have been the first capital of an old country called Gojoseon over thousands of years ago. But other history books tell a different story, so this idea might just be part of stories made to share special beliefs.

Historical period

Pyongyang is said to have started in 1122 BC. It was an important city for many years, changing hands between different groups.

During different times, Pyongyang was part of many different places and groups. It grew and changed a lot over the centuries.

In more recent times, Pyongyang became a big city with many people. It has been through many changes, including big events that affected the whole country.

After 1945

After 1945, Pyongyang became the main city of North Korea. It was damaged in a big war but was rebuilt with help from other countries. New buildings and homes were built, changing the city into what it is today.

Many new places were built in Pyongyang in the years that followed, including homes, theaters, parks, and more. The city continues to grow and change.

Geography

Pyongyang is located in the west-central part of North Korea. The city sits on a flat plain about 50 kilometers (31 miles) east of the Korea Bay, which is part of the Yellow Sea. The Taedong River flows through the city toward the Korea Bay. The area where Pyongyang is found is one of two large flat areas along the western coast of the Korean peninsula.

Climate

Pyongyang has warm, humid summers and cold, dry winters. Winter can be very cold with dry winds from Siberia, and temperatures often drop below freezing from November to early March. Snow falls about 37 days each winter. Spring and autumn are usually pleasant, with mild temperatures and clear skies. Summer is hot and humid, with the East Asian monsoon bringing rain from June to September. Daytime temperatures in summer can often rise above 30°C (86°F).

Politics

Major government offices are located in Pyongyang, the capital of the country. Important groups such as the Workers' Party Central Committee and the Pyongyang City People's Committee have their main offices in a part of the city called Haebangsan-dong, in Chung-guyok. The Cabinet of North Korea is based in another area named Jongro-dong, also in Chung-guyok.

The city is also home to key security groups. One large group, the Ministry of Social Security, has many workers managing things like police services, safety for important people, and public health. Another group, the Ministry of State Security, handles information and security matters. The city's politics are led by the Workers' Party of Korea, with the Pyongyang Party Committee playing a big role in managing the city.

Administrative status and divisions

Pyongyang is divided into 19 districts, 2 counties, and 1 neighborhood. These areas help organize the city for managing schools, parks, and community services.

The districts include places like Chung-guyok, Pyongchon-guyok, and Potonggang-guyok, among others. The counties are Kangdong County and Kangnam County, and there is one special neighborhood called Panghyŏn-dong.

Cityscape

Panorama of Pyongyang, as seen from the Juche Tower in April 2012

After being destroyed during the Korean War, Pyongyang was rebuilt to create a capital that would boost morale in the post-war years. The city has wide, tree-lined boulevards and public buildings with special designs, including mosaics and decorated ceilings. Its architecture has a style similar to some cities in cold regions, but also includes traditional Korean design elements.

Since the end of the Korean War the city was planned strictly according to Socialist principles. The city center was planned as the main administrative district, with major landscape structures constructed in between districts to be used as buffer zones so that they cannot expand freely. The city center was planned with wide avenues and monumental structures; it forms the central administrative district where many government and public buildings are located, including the Government Complex No 1, which houses the headquarters of the ruling party. Together with various monuments and memorials, it forms an important axis of symbolic places which promote the ideology of the Workers' Party of Korea and the North Korean cult of personality around the Kim family. The epicentre and Kilometre zero of the central district is located at Kim Il Sung Square.

The streets are laid out in a north–south, east–west grid, giving the city an orderly appearance. Its inhabitants are mostly divided into administrative units of 5,000 to 6,000 people (dong). These units all have similar sets of amenities, including a food store, a barber shop, a tailor, a public bathhouse, a post office, a clinic, a library and others. Many residents occupy high-rise apartment buildings.

Structures in Pyongyang are divided into three major architectural categories: monuments, buildings with traditional Korean motifs and high-rises. Some of North Korea's most recognisable landmarks are monuments, like the Juche Tower, the Arch of Triumph and the Mansu Hill Grand Monument. The most prominent building on Pyongyang's skyline is Ryugyong Hotel, the seventh highest building in the world in terms of floor count, the tallest unoccupied building in the world, and one of the tallest hotels in the world. It has yet to open.

Pyongyang has a rapidly evolving skyline, dominated by high-rise apartment buildings. A construction boom began with the Changjon Street Apartment Complex, which was completed in 2012. Construction of the complex began after late leader Kim Jong Il described Changjon Street as "pitiful". Other housing complexes are being upgraded as well, but most are still poorly insulated, without elevators or central heating. An urban renewal program continued under Kim Jong Un's leadership, with the old apartments of the 1970s and '80s replaced by taller high rise buildings and leisure parks like the Kaesong Youth Park, as well as renovations of older buildings. In 2018, the city was described as unrecognizable compared to five years before.

Landmarks

Main article: List of tourist attractions in Pyongyang

Notable landmarks in the city include:

• The Ryugyong Hotel
• The Kumsusan Palace of the Sun
• The Arch of Triumph (heavily inspired by, but larger than, the Arc de Triomphe in Paris)
• The birthplace of Kim Il Sung at Mangyongdae Hill at the city outskirts
• Juche Tower, a monument to the philosophy of Juche (self-reliance)
• Two large stadiums:
  • Rungrado 1st of May Stadium (the second largest stadium in the world by seating capacity)
  • Kim Il Sung Stadium
• The Mansu Hill complex, including the Korean Revolution Museum
• Kim Il Sung Square
• Yanggakdo International Hotel

Pyongyang TV Tower is a minor landmark. Other visitor attractions include the Korea Central Zoo. The Reunification Highway stretches from Pyongyang to the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

• Monuments and sights of Pyongyang

• .jpg)

  Juche Tower

[Arch of Triumph](/wiki/Arch_of_Triumph_\(Pyongyang\))

[Monument to Party Founding](/wiki/Monument_to_Party_Founding)

[Kumsusan Palace of the Sun](/wiki/Kumsusan_Palace_of_the_Sun)

[Tomb of King Tongmyeong](/wiki/Tomb_of_King_Tongmyong)

• .jpg)

  Ryugyong Hotel

[Ryomyong New Town](/wiki/Ryomyong_New_Town)

• .jpg)

  Mirae Scientists Street

• .jpg)

  Rungrado 1st of May Stadium

Culture

Cuisine

See also: North Korean cuisine

Pyongyang has its own special foods that are enjoyed by locals. One famous dish is called Pyongyang raengmyŏn, which means "cold noodles." It is made with thin, chewy noodles served in a cold broth with special pickles and a slice of sweet Korean pear. People used to eat this dish during cold winters in homes with traditional heating.

Another popular food is Taedonggang sungeoguk, a soup made from fish found in the Taedong River. It is often served to guests visiting the city. There is also a dish called Pyongyang onban, which is warm rice with mushrooms, chicken, and special pancakes.

Social life

Pyongyang has many places to eat, including high-quality restaurants that serve both Korean and international foods. Popular spots include Okryu-gwan and Ch'ongryugwan. You can also find street food, like hamburgers, fries, pizza, and coffee. The city has fun places to visit, such as water parks, amusement parks, skating rinks, health clubs, a shooting range, and a dolphinarium.

Sports

Pyongyang has many sports clubs. Two well-known ones are the April 25 Sports Club and the Pyongyang City Sports Club.

See also: Sport in North Korea

Economy

Pyongyang is the main industrial city in North Korea because it has many natural resources like coal, iron, and limestone, plus good land and water for transport. After the Korean War, it became the first industrial city in the country. It makes both heavy things like cement and tools, and lighter goods like textiles, shoes, and food. Farms around the city grow rice, sweetcorn, and soybeans, and they try to raise more pigs, chicken, and other animals for food.

The city sometimes had trouble with electricity, but built new power stations to help. These stations and small dams along a river provide power to the city. There are also plans for more power stations.

Retail

Pyongyang has many big shops, such as the Pothonggang Department Store and Pyongyang Department Store No. 1. There are also smaller shops called Hwanggumbol Shops that sell things at lower prices than other markets in the city.

Transportation

Pyongyang is a major travel hub with roads, trains, and airplanes connecting it to many places inside and outside the country. The Pyongyang railway station has trains going to cities like Beijing and Dandong. The city also has a metro, trams, and trolleybuses for everyday travel. There are not many cars because they are rare and expensive. The city’s airport, Pyongyang Sunan International Airport, has flights to places like Beijing, Shenyang, and Vladivostok.

Demographics

According to the 2008 population census, Pyongyang has a population of 3,255,288 people. It is estimated that nearly all of these people are connected to the ruling Workers' Party of Korea.

Education and science

Kim Il Sung University, the oldest university in North Korea, opened in 1946. It has many areas of study, including medicine, physics, and law. The university also has its own library, sports team, and museum.

Other universities in Pyongyang include Kim Chaek University of Technology, Pyongyang University of Music and Dance, and Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies. There is also a special university with teachers from America where classes are held in English. A new building for science and technology is being built to help share learning materials digitally.

Sosong-guyok has a special machine called a cyclotron used for teaching students and studying science. It was built with help from many countries and is used for medical and scientific research.

Healthcare

Pyongyang has many important medical centers. Some of these include the Red Cross Hospital and the First People’s Hospital, which was built after the liberation of Korea in 1945. Other hospitals and clinics are located in different parts of the city, such as the Ponghwa Recuperative Center near Kim Il Sung Square, and Okryu Children’s Hospital. Construction began on a new hospital called the Pyongyang General Hospital in 2020.

Twin towns – sister cities

Pyongyang is linked with these cities around the world:

• Baghdad, Iraq
• Chiang Mai, Thailand
• Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• Jakarta, Indonesia
• Kathmandu, Nepal
• Moscow, Russia
• Tianjin, China
• Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia