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. It has a population of over three million.

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 capital. The city was damaged during the Korean War, but was rebuilt with Soviet help. The city was declared 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 new building in the city.

Names

The name "Pyongyang" means "flat land." This describes the smooth ground of the city. In the past, the city had other names that also meant "land of the field."

Pyongyang has had many names over time. 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, there were ideas to rename the city, but these plans were never used.

History

Prehistory

In 1955, people found old homes in a 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 thousands of years ago. But other history books tell a different story.

Historical period

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

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.

After 1945

After 1945, Pyongyang became the main city of North Korea. It was damaged but was rebuilt with help from other countries. New buildings and homes were built, changing the city.

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

Geography

Pyongyang is in the west-central part of North Korea. The city is on a flat plain about 50 kilometers (31 miles) east of the Korea Bay, part of the Yellow Sea. The Taedong River flows through the city toward the Korea Bay. The area 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

Pyongyang is the capital of the country, and many important government offices are there. Big groups like the Workers' Party Central Committee and the Pyongyang City People's Committee have their main offices in an area called Haebangsan-dong, in Chung-guyok. The Cabinet of North Korea is in another area named Jongro-dong, also in Chung-guyok.

The city is also where important security groups work. The Ministry of Social Security has many workers who help with police services, safety for important people, and public health. Another group, the Ministry of State Security, looks after information and security. The city's politics are led by the Workers' Party of Korea, and the Pyongyang Party Committee helps manage the city.

Administrative status and divisions

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

The districts include places like Chung-guyok, Pyongchon-guyok, and Potonggang-guyok. 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 become a capital that would help people's spirits. The city has wide, tree-lined streets 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 area, with major landscape structures built between districts to prevent them from expanding too much. The city center has wide streets and important buildings; it is 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 area 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 center point of the central district is at Kim Il Sung Square.

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

Structures in Pyongyang are divided into three major architectural categories: monuments, buildings with traditional Korean designs 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 floors, the tallest unoccupied building in the world, and one of the tallest hotels in the world. It has yet to open.

Pyongyang has a changing skyline, dominated by high-rise apartment buildings. A building 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 areas are being improved as well, but most still do not have good insulation, 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 parks like the Kaesong Youth Park, as well as renovations of older buildings. In 2018, the city was described as very different 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 places for visitors 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 special foods that people there love. One famous dish is called Pyongyang raengmyŏn, meaning "cold noodles." It has thin noodles in a cold soup with pickles and a sweet Korean pear. People used to eat this in cold winters at home.

Another popular food is Taedonggang sungeoguk, a soup with fish from the Taedong River. It is often given to guests who visit 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, with restaurants that serve Korean and international foods. Popular spots are 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 famous 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. It has natural resources like coal, iron, and limestone. It also has good land and water for transport. After the Korean War, it became the first industrial city in the country. It makes heavy things like cement and tools, and lighter goods like textiles, shoes, and food. Farms around the city grow rice, sweetcorn, and soybeans. They also raise 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 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.

Transportation

Pyongyang is a major travel hub with roads, trains, and airplanes. 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

Pyongyang has many people. In 2008, there were about 3 million people living there. Most of them are linked 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, such as 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 in English. A new building for science and technology is being built to help share learning materials online.

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 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