Pyongyang () is the

capital Capital and its variations may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** Capital region, a metropolitan region containing the capital ** List of national capitals * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Econom ...

and largest city of

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu River, Yalu (Amnok) an ...

, where it is sometimes labeled as the "Capital of the Revolution" (). Pyongyang is located on the

Taedong River The Taedong River () is a large river in North Korea. The river rises in the Rangrim Mountains of the country's north where it then flows southwest into Korea Bay at Namp'o.Suh, Dae-Sook (1987) "North Korea in 1986: Strengthening the Soviet ...

about upstream from its mouth on the

Yellow Sea The Yellow Sea, also known as the North Sea, is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula, and can be considered the northwestern part of the East China Sea. Names It is one of four ...

. According to the 2008 population census, it has a population of 3,255,288. Pyongyang is a directly administered city () with a status equal to that of the North Korean provinces. Pyongyang is one of the oldest cities in Korea. It was the capital of two ancient Korean kingdoms,

Gojoseon Gojoseon (; ), contemporary name Joseon (; ), was the first kingdom on the Korea, Korean Peninsula. According to Korean mythology, the kingdom was established by the legendary king Dangun. Gojoseon possessed the most advanced culture in th ...

and

Goguryeo Goguryeo (37 BC – 668 AD) (; ; Old Korean: Guryeo) also later known as Goryeo (; ; Middle Korean: 고ᇢ롕〮, ''kwòwlyéy''), was a Korean kingdom which was located on the northern and central parts of the Korea, Korean Peninsula an ...

, and served as the secondary capital of

Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean state founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korea, Korean Peninsula until the establishment of Joseon in 1392. Goryeo achieved what has b ...

. Following the establishment of North Korea in 1948, Pyongyang became its '' de facto'' capital. The city was again devastated during the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

, but was quickly rebuilt after the war with

Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

assistance. Pyongyang is the political, industrial and transport center of North Korea. It is estimated that 99% of those living in Pyongyang are members, candidate members, or dependents of members of the ruling

Workers' Party of Korea The Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), also called the Korean Workers' Party (KWP), is the sole ruling party of North Korea. Founded in 1949 from a merger between the Workers' Party of North Korea and the Workers' Party of South Korea, the WPK is ...

(WPK). It is home to North Korea's major

government institutions An institution is a humanly devised structure of rules and norms that shape and constrain social behavior. All definitions of institutions generally entail that there is a level of persistence and continuity. Laws, rules, social conventions and ...

, as well as the WPK which has its headquarters in the Government Complex No. 1.

Names

The name 'Pyongyang' derives from the Sino-Korean words 平 (flat) and 壤 (land). It is the

McCune–Reischauer McCune–Reischauer romanization ( ) is a romanization system for the Korean language. It was first published in 1939 by George M. McCune and Edwin O. Reischauer. According to Reischauer, McCune "persuaded the American Army Map Service to ad ...

romanisation of the Korean term '평양', which translates to 'flat land', reflecting the smooth terrain of the city. In native Korean, the city was called "Buruna" () or less commonly "Barana" () which, using the idu system, was the pronunciation of the Chinese characters of "Pyongyang". "Buru" () means "field" whereas "na" () means "land", therefore the meaning of Pyongyang in native Korean would be "Land of the field". The city's other historic names include ''Ryugyong'', ''Kisong'', ''Hwangsong'', ''Rakrang'', ''Sŏgyong'', ''Sodo'', ''Hogyong'', ''Changan'', and ''Heijō'' (during

Japanese rule in Korea From 1910 to 1945, Korea was ruled by the Empire of Japan under the name Chōsen (), the Japanese reading of "Joseon". Japan first took Korea into its sphere of influence during the late 1800s. Both Korea (Joseon) and Japan had been under polic ...

). There are several variants. During the early 20th century, Pyongyang came to be known among missionaries as being the "

Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...

of the East", due to its historical status as a stronghold of

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

, namely

Protestantism Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

, especially during the

Pyongyang Revival The Pyongyang Revival or the Great Pyongyang Revival of 1907 was a Protestant revival that occurred in and around the city of Pyongyang, what is today the capital of North Korea. A key figure of the movement is often seen to be Kil Sŏn-chu (or ...

of 1907. After

Kim Il Sung's death Kim may refer to: People and fictional characters * Kim (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Kim (surname), a list of people and fictional characters ** Kim (Korean surname) *** Kim dynasty (disambiguation), several dynas ...

in 1994, some members of

Kim Jong Il Kim Jong Il (born Yuri Kim; 16 February 1941 or 1942 – 17 December 2011) was a North Korean politician who was the second Supreme Leader (North Korean title), supreme leader of North Korea from Death and state funeral of Kim Il Sung, the de ...

's faction proposed changing the name of Pyongyang to "Kim Il Sung City" (), but others suggested that North Korea should begin calling

Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...

"Kim Il Sung City" instead and grant Pyongyang the moniker "Kim Jong Il City". In the end, neither proposal was implemented.

History

Prehistory

In 1955, archaeologists excavated evidence of prehistoric dwellings in a large ancient village in the Pyongyang area, called Kŭmtan-ni, dating to the Jeulmun and Mumun pottery periods. North Koreans associate Pyongyang with the

mythological Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the ...

city of "

Asadal Asadal, () was the capital city of the kingdom of Gojoseon (), the first Korean kingdom and notably founded by the legendary king Dangun. It is thought that Asadal was located in Manchuria, in the northeastern Hwanghae Province in North Korea, ...

", or ''

Wanggeom-seong Wanggeom-seong () was the capital city of Gojoseon from 194 to 108 BC. It is also known as ''Wangheom-seong'' (; 王險城). Conflicting opinions about its location One theory suggests the capital was around the modern city of Pyongyang based on ...

'', the first second millennium BC capital of

("Old Joseon") according to Korean historiographies beginning with the 13th-century ''

Samguk yusa ''Samguk yusa'' (; ) or ''Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms'' is a collection of legends, folktales, and historical accounts relating to the Three Kingdoms of Korea (Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla), as well as to other periods and states before, d ...

''. Historians deny this claim because earlier Chinese historiographical works such as the '' Guanzi'', ''

Classic of Mountains and Seas The ''Classic of Mountains and Seas'', also known as ''Shanhai jing'' (), formerly romanized as the ''Shan-hai Ching'', is a Chinese classic text and a compilation of mythic geography and beasts. Early versions of the text may have existed si ...

'', ''

Records of the Grand Historian The ''Shiji'', also known as ''Records of the Grand Historian'' or ''The Grand Scribe's Records'', is a Chinese historical text that is the first of the Twenty-Four Histories of imperial China. It was written during the late 2nd and early 1st ce ...

'', and ''

Records of the Three Kingdoms The ''Records of the Three Kingdoms'' is a Chinese official history written by Chen Shou in the late 3rd century CE, covering the end of the Han dynasty (220 CE) and the subsequent Three Kingdoms period (220–280 CE). It is regard ...

'', mention a much later "Joseon". The connection between the two therefore may have been asserted by North Korea for the use of propaganda. Nevertheless, Pyongyang became a major city in old Joseon.

Historical period

Pyongyang was founded in 1122 BC on the site of the capital of the legendary king

Dangun Dangun or Tangun (; ), also known as Dangun Wanggeom (; ), was the legendary founder and first king of Gojoseon, the first Korean kingdom. He founded the first kingdom around the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. He is said to be the "gra ...

, which was in the location of Pyongyang, became the capital of

from 194 to 108 BC. It fell in the

Han conquest of Gojoseon The Han conquest of Gojoseon was a campaign launched by Emperor Wu of the Han dynasty against Wiman Joseon between 109 and 108 BCE. It resulted in the fall of Gojoseon and the establishment of the Four Commanderies of Han in the northern half ...

in 108 BC.

Emperor Wu of Han Emperor Wu of Han (156 – 29 March 87BC), born Liu Che and courtesy name Tong, was the seventh Emperor of China, emperor of the Han dynasty from 141 to 87 BC. His reign lasted 54 years – a record not broken until the reign of the Kangxi ...

ordered four commanderies be set up, with

Lelang Commandery The Lelang Commandery was a Commandery (China), commandery of the Han dynasty established after it had conquered Wiman Joseon in 108 BC and lasted until Goguryeo conquered it in 313. The Lelang Commandery extended the rule of the Four Commande ...

in the center and its capital established as "Joseon" (朝鮮縣, 조선현) at the location of Pyongyang. Several archaeological findings from the later,

Eastern Han The Han dynasty was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC9 AD, 25–220 AD) established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–206 BC ...

(20–220 AD) period in the Pyongyang area seems to suggest that Han forces later launched brief incursions around these parts. The area around the city was called Nanglang during the early

Three Kingdoms period The Three Kingdoms of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu dominated China from AD 220 to 280 following the end of the Han dynasty. This period was preceded by the Eastern Han dynasty and followed by the Western Jin dynasty. Academically, the ...

. As the capital of Nanglang (), Pyongyang remained an important commercial and cultural outpost after the Lelang Commandery was destroyed by an expanding

in 313. Goguryeo moved its capital there in 427. According to

Christopher Beckwith Christopher I. Beckwith (born October 23, 1945) is an American philologist and distinguished professor in the Department of Central Eurasian Studies at Indiana University Bloomington, Indiana. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Chinese from Ohio Stat ...

, ''Pyongyang'' is the Sino-Korean reading of the name they gave it in their language: ''Piarna'', or "level land". In 668, Pyongyang became the capital of the

Protectorate General to Pacify the East The Protectorate-General to Pacify the East () was an administrative division of the Chinese Tang dynasty in Manchuria and the northern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula. It was established after the Tang dynasty defeated Goguryeo and annexed ...

established by the

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, c=唐朝), or the Tang Empire, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an Wu Zhou, interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed ...

of China. However, by 676, it was taken by

Silla Silla (; Old Korean: wikt:徐羅伐#Old Korean, 徐羅伐, Yale romanization of Korean, Yale: Syerapel, Revised Romanization of Korean, RR: ''Seorabeol''; International Phonetic Alphabet, IPA: ) was a Korean kingdom that existed between ...

, but left on the border between Silla and

Balhae Balhae,, , ) also rendered as Bohai or Bohea, and called Jin (; ) early on, was a multiethnic kingdom established in 698 by Dae Joyeong (Da Zuorong). It was originally known as the Kingdom of Jin (震, Zhen) until 713 when its name was changed ...

. Pyongyang was left abandoned during the

Later Silla Unified Silla, or Late Silla, is the name often applied to the historical period of the Korean kingdom of Silla after its conquest of Goguryeo in 668 AD, which marked the end of the Three Kingdoms period. In the 7th century, a Silla–Tang all ...

period, until it was recovered by

Wang Geon Taejo (; 31 January 877 – 4 July 943), personal name Wang Kŏn (), also known as Taejo Wang Kŏn (), was the founder of the Goryeo Dynasty of Korea. He ruled from 918 to 943, achieving unification of the Later Three Kingdoms in 936. Background ...

and decreed as the Western Capital of

. During the

Imjin War The Imjin War () was a series of two Japanese invasions of Korea: an initial invasion in 1592 also individually called the "Imjin War", a brief truce in 1596, and a second invasion in 1597 called the Chŏngyu War (). The conflict ended in 159 ...

, Pyongyang was captured by the Japanese and held the city wall until they were defeated in the Siege of Pyongyang. Later in the 17th century, it became temporarily occupied during the

Qing invasion of Joseon The Qing invasion of Joseon () occurred in the winter of 1636 when the newly established Qing dynasty invaded the Joseon, Joseon dynasty, establishing the former's status as the hegemon in the Tributary system of China, Imperial Chinese Tributa ...

until peace arrangements were made between Korea and Qing China. While the invasions made Koreans suspicious of foreigners, the influence of

began to grow after the country opened itself up to foreigners in the 16th century. Pyongyang became the base of Christian expansion in Korea. By 1880 it had more than 100 churches and more Protestant missionaries than any other Asian city, and was called "the

of the East". In 1890, the city had 40,000 inhabitants. It was the site of the Battle of Pyongyang during the

First Sino-Japanese War The First Sino-Japanese War (25 July 189417 April 1895), or the First China–Japan War, was a conflict between the Qing dynasty of China and the Empire of Japan primarily over influence in Joseon, Korea. In Chinese it is commonly known as th ...

, which led to the destruction and depopulation of much of the city. It was the provincial capital of South Pyeongan Province beginning in 1896. During the Japanese colonial rule, Japan tried to develop the city as an industrial center, but faced the

March First Movement The March First Movement was a series of protests against Korea under Japanese rule, Japanese colonial rule that was held throughout Korea and internationally by the Korean diaspora beginning on March 1, 1919. Protests were largely concentrated in ...

in 1919 and severe anti-Japanese socialist movement in 1920s due to economic exploitation. It was called Heijō (with the same Chinese characters but read as ) in Japanese. In July 1931, the city experienced anti-Chinese riots as a result of the

Wanpaoshan Incident The was a minor dispute between Chinese and Korean farmers which occurred on 1 July 1931. Through a series of false reports, the issue was highly sensationalized in the Imperial Japanese and Korean press, and used for considerable propaganda eff ...

and the sensationalized media reports about it which appeared in Imperial Japanese and Korean newspapers. By 1938, Pyongyang had a population of 235,000.

After 1945

On 25 August 1945, the Soviet 25th Army entered Pyongyang and it became the temporary capital of the

Provisional People's Committee for North Korea The Provisional People's Committee of North Korea () was the provisional government of North Korea. The committee was established on 8 February 1946 in response for the need of the Soviet Civil Administration and the communists to have centraliz ...

. A People's Committee was already established there, led by veteran Christian nationalist

Cho Man-sik Cho Man-sik (; 1 February 1883 – possibly October 1950), also known by his art name Godang (), was a Korean independence activist. He became involved in the power struggle that enveloped North Korea in the months following the Japanese su ...

. Pyongyang became the de facto capital of North Korea upon its establishment in 1948. At the time, the Pyongyang government aimed to recapture Korea's official capital, Seoul. Pyongyang was again severely damaged in the

, during which it was briefly occupied by South Korean forces from 19 October to 6 December 1950. The city saw many refugees evacuate when advancing Chinese forces pushed southward towards Pyongyang. UN forces oversaw the evacuation of refugees as they retreated from Pyongyang in December 1950. In 1952, it was the target of the largest aerial raid of the entire war, involving 1,400 UN aircraft. Already during the war, plans were made to reconstruct the city. On 27 July 1953 – the day the armistice between North Korea and South Korea was signed – ''The Pyongyang Review'' wrote: "While streets were in flames, an exhibition showing the general plan of restoration of Pyongyang was held at the Moranbong Underground Theater", the air raid shelter of the government under

Moranbong Moranbong () or Moran Hill forms a park located in central Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea. Its summit is the location of the Pyongyang TV Tower. There are multiple monumental structures located on Moran Hill. They include the Arc ...

. "On the way of victory... fireworks which streamed high into the night sky of the capital in a gun salute briefly illuminated the construction plan of the city which would rise soon with a new look". After the war, the city was quickly rebuilt with assistance from the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

, and many buildings were built in the style of

Stalinist architecture Stalinist architecture (), mostly known in the former Eastern Bloc as Stalinist style or socialist classicism, is the architecture of the Soviet Union under the leadership of Joseph Stalin, between 1933 (when Boris Iofan's draft for the Palace o ...

. The plans for the modern city of Pyongyang were first displayed for public viewing in a theatre building. Kim Jung-hee, one of the founding members of the Korean Architects Alliance, who had studied architecture in prewar Japan, was appointed by Kim Il Sung to design the city's master plan.

Moscow Architectural Institute Moscow Architectural Institute (State Academy) - MArchI () is a famous architecture school located in Moscow, Russia. Since 1994, the Institute has been accredited by the Royal Institute of British Architects The Royal Institute of Briti ...

designed the "Pyongyang City Reconstruction and Construction Comprehensive Plan" in 1951, and it was officially adopted in 1953. The transformation into a modern, propaganda-designed city featuring Stalin-style architecture with a Korean-style arrangement (and other modernist architecture that was said to have been greatly influenced by Brazilian architect

Oscar Niemeyer Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho (15 December 1907 – 5 December 2012), known as Oscar Niemeyer (), was a Brazilian architect considered to be one of the key figures in the development of modern architecture. Niemeyer was b ...

) began. The 1972 Constitution officially declared Pyongyang the capital. The funeral of Kim Il Sung was held in Pyongyang in 1994. Then on 19 July, it concluded with a cortege procession when his corpse moved through the streets with a hearse as people cried out in hysteria while watching the funeral. In 2001, North Korean authorities began a long-term modernisation programme. The Ministry of Capital City Construction Development was included in the

Cabinet Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to: Furniture * Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers * Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets * Filin ...

in that year. In 2006, Kim Jong Il's brother-in-law Jang Song Thaek took charge of the ministry. Throughout the rule of

Kim Jong Un Kim Jong Un (born 8 January 1983 or 1984) is a North Korean politician and dictator who has served as supreme leader of North Korea since 2011 and general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) since 2012. He is the third son of Kim ...

a number of residential projects were constructed. In 2012, Changjon Street, a residential project with 2,784 units, was inaugurated in the heart of Pyongyang. 2013 and 2014 residential projects dedicated to scientists were completed in Unha Scientists Street and Wisong Scientists Street with more than 1,000 units each while in 2015 work took place on a residential project in

Mirae Scientists Street Mirae Scientists Street (''Future Scientists Street'') is a street in Pyongyang, North Korea. It houses scientific institutions of the Kim Chaek University of Technology and their employees. The six-lane street, located between Pyongyang Railway ...

with 2,584 units. In 2017, in dedication to the 105th birthday of the

founder Founder or Founders may refer to: Places *Founders Park, a stadium in South Carolina, formerly known as Carolina Stadium * Founders Park, a waterside park in Islamorada, Florida Arts, entertainment, and media * Founders (''Star Trek''), the ali ...

and first leader,

Kim Il Sung Kim Il Sung (born Kim Song Ju; 15 April 1912 – 8 July 1994) was a North Korean politician and the founder of North Korea, which he led as its first Supreme Leader (North Korean title), supreme leader from North Korea#Founding, its establishm ...

, 4,804 units were built in the new Ryomyong Street complex. The second decade of the 2000s saw the construction of residential projects in Songhwa Street near the

Taedonggang Brewing Company The Taedonggang Brewing Company () is a state-owned North Korean beer brewery company that brews the Taedonggang beer. The brewery is located in East Pyongyang and has facilities of tens of thousands of square meters. History In 2000, Kim Jong- ...

in Sadong District (2022), in Taephyong area in Mangyongdae district, and in the Pothong Riverside Terraced Residential District located at the city center next to the Pothong River on land previously used by the headquarters of the

International Taekwon-Do Federation International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) is an international taekwondo organization founded on March 22, 1966, by Choi Hong Hi () in Seoul, South Korea. The ITF was founded to promote and encourage the growth of the Korean martial art of ta ...

. Kim Jong Un ordered that the residential district be renamed "Kyongru-dong" meaning "beautiful bead terrace". From the 50s to the 70s the area was the location of the residence of Kim Il Sung and was known as "Mansion No. 5". Other recent public building projects include the

Mansudae People's Theatre The Mansudae People's Theatre () is a theatre near to the Mansudae Assembly Hall in Pyongyang, North Korea. It was opened in 2012. See also * List of theatres in North Korea This is a list of theaters in North Korea. * April 25 House of C ...

opened in 2012, the

Munsu Water Park Munsu Water Park () is a state run water park located in the east of Pyongyang, North Korea, which opened to the public in November 2013. The park covers an area of with indoor and outdoor activities, the former of which are available all year ...

opened in 2013, and the renovated and expanded Sunan International Airport and

Pyongyang Sci-Tech Complex The DPRK Sci-Tech Complex () is a science and technology centre housed in a large atom-shaped building located on Ssuk Island in Pyongyang, accessed by the Chungsong Bridge. It was completed in 2015. According to KBS World, it then had over 100,00 ...

, both completed in 2015, the Samjiyon Orchestra Theater, which was fitted out of the domed Korean People's Army Circus built in 1964, and the

Pyongyang General Hospital The Pyongyang General Hospital () is a hospital under construction in Pyongyang, North Korea. The hospital is located in front of Monument to Party Founding. Its groundbreaking took place on 19 March 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and its cons ...

, of which construction started in 2020. Additional re-development projects occurred in the area around the Arch of Triumph where the Pyongyang People's Hospital no. 1 was demolished. Apartment blocks in the area of Inhŭng-dong, in

Moranbong-guyok Moranbong-guyŏk (), or the Moranbong District, is one of the 18 guyŏk which constitute the capital city of Pyongyang, North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It con ...

district and in the area of Sinwon-dong in Pothonggang district were demolished in 2018–2019 for the construction of new apartment buildings. Also in 2018 the Youth Park Open-Air Theatre in Sungri Street, used to host political rallies, was rebuilt. In 2021–2022 a major housing project was executed along Songhwa Street in southeast part of the city Hwasong Street in Hwasong District in northern Pyongyang with high-rises. In 2023 phase two of construction of housing in Hwasong district was launched, on the former territory of the Pyongyang Vegetable Science Institute. In addition, a complex of

greenhouse A greenhouse is a structure that is designed to regulate the temperature and humidity of the environment inside. There are different types of greenhouses, but they all have large areas covered with transparent materials that let sunlight pass an ...

farm and housing was initiated on the former territory of Kangdong Airfield which was demolished in 2019. In April 2024 the second stage of construction in the Hwasong area was completed in Rimhung Street with 10,000 apartments was marked with an extravagant ceremony. In 2025 a new residential district at Taesŏng-dong,

Taesong-guyok Taesŏng-guyŏk, or Taesŏng District is one of the 18 '' guyok'' that constitute Pyongyang, North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern ha ...

, next to

Korea Central Zoo The Korea Central Zoo, also referred to as the Pyongyang Central Zoo, is the national zoo of North Korea. It is located near Taesŏngsan mountain in downtown Pyongyang. The zoo has over 5,000 wild animals, comprising a total of 650 species, ...

came under construction. Also in 2025 the last phase in the construction of the southern end of the Hwasong District occurred. Pyongyang, alongside

, launched a bid to host the

2032 Summer Olympics The 2032 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXXV Olympiad and also known as Brisbane 2032 or Bris2032, is an upcoming international multi-sport event scheduled to take place from 23 July to 8 August 2032, with Brisbane, Queensland, ...

, but failed to make the joint city candidate list.

Geography

Pyongyang is in the west-central part of North Korea; the city lies on a flat plain about east of the

Korea Bay Korea(n) Bay, sometimes West Korea(n) Bay (; ; or ), is a bight and the northern extension of the Yellow Sea, between the southeastern coastline of China's Liaoning Province and the western coastline of North Korea's North Pyongan, South P ...

, an arm of the

. The

flows southwestward through the city toward the Korea Bay. The Pyongyang plain, where the city is situated, is one of the two large plains on the Western coast of the Korean peninsula, the other being the Chaeryong plain. Both have an area of approximately 500 square kilometers.

Climate

Pyongyang has a hot-summer continental monsoon climate (

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

: ''Dwa''), featuring warm to hot, humid summers and cold, dry winters. Cold, dry winds can blow from

Siberia Siberia ( ; , ) is an extensive geographical region comprising all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has formed a part of the sovereign territory of Russia and its predecessor states ...

in winter, making conditions very cold; the low temperature is usually below freezing between November and early March, although the average daytime high is at least a few degrees above freezing in every month except January. The winter is generally much drier than summer, with snow falling for 37 days on average. The transition from the cold, dry winter to the warm, wet summer occurs rather quickly between April and early May, and there is a similarly abrupt return to winter conditions in late October and November. Summers are generally hot and humid, with the East Asian monsoon taking place from June until September; these are also the hottest months, with average temperatures of , and daytime highs often above . Although largely transitional seasons, spring and autumn experience more pleasant weather, with average high temperatures ranging from in May and in September, coupled with relatively clear, sunny skies.

Politics

Major government and other public offices are located in Pyongyang, which is constitutionally designated as the country's capital. The

seat A seat is a place to sit. The term may encompass additional features, such as back, armrest, head restraint but may also refer to concentrations of power in a wider sense (i.e " seat (legal entity)"). See disambiguation. Types of seat The ...

of the Workers' Party Central Committee and the Pyongyang People's Committee are located in Haebangsan-dong,

Chung-guyok Chung-guyok () is one of the 19 '' guyok'' which constitute the city of Pyongyang, North Korea. The district is located in the center of the city, between the Pothonggang Canal and Taedong River, and is bordered to the north by Moranbong-guyok, ...

. The

Cabinet of North Korea The Cabinet of Democratic People's Republic of Korea () is the supreme administrative organ of North Korea. The Cabinet's official newspaper is '' Minju Choson''. History In North Korea's first constitution, adopted in 1948, the executive po ...

is located in Jongro-dong,

. Pyongyang is also the seat of all major North Korean security institutions. The largest of them, the Ministry of Social Security, has 130,000 employees working in 12 bureaus. These oversee activities including: police services, security of party officials, classified documents, census, civil registrations, large-scale public construction,

traffic control Traffic management is a key branch within logistics. It concerns the planning, control and purchasing of transport services needed to physically move vehicles (for example aircraft, road vehicles, rolling stock and watercraft) and freight. Traff ...

, fire safety,

civil defence Civil defense or civil protection is an effort to protect the citizens of a state (generally non-combatants) from human-made and natural disasters. It uses the principles of emergency management: prevention, mitigation, preparation, response, ...

public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the de ...

and

customs Customs is an authority or Government agency, agency in a country responsible for collecting tariffs and for controlling International trade, the flow of goods, including animals, transports, personal effects, and hazardous items, into and out ...

. Another significant structure based in the city is the Ministry of State Security, whose 30,000 personnel manage intelligence, political prison systems, military industrial security and entry and exit management. The politics and management of the city is dominated by the

, as they are in the national level. The city is managed by the Pyongyang Party Committee of the

and its chairman is the ''de facto''

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

. The supreme standing state organ is the Pyongyang People's Committee, responsible for everyday events in support of the city. This includes following local Party guidance as channeled through the Pyongyang Party Committee, the distribution of resources prioritised to Pyongyang, and providing support to KWP and internal security agency personnel and families.

Administrative status and divisions

P'yŏngyang is divided into 19 districts (or wards) (''ku-'' or ''guyŏk'') ''(the city proper)'', 2 counties (''kun'' or ''gun''), and 1

neighborhood A neighbourhood (Commonwealth English) or neighborhood (American English) is a geographically localized community within a larger town, city, suburb or rural area, sometimes consisting of a single street and the buildings lining it. Neigh ...

(''dong''). *

(; ) *

Pyongchon-guyok P'yŏngch'ŏn-guyŏk (Phyongchon District) is one of the 18 '' guyŏk'' (political districts or wards) of Pyongyang, North Korea. It is bordered by the Taedong River in the south and the Pothonggang Canal in the north and Potong River in the ...

(; ) *

Potonggang-guyok Potonggang-guyok is one of the 18 districts, or guyok, of Pyongyang, North Korea. It is most famous as the location of the Ryugyong Hotel. It is named after the Pothong River (literally "the simple river"), which serves as the district's border ...

(; ) *

(; ) * Sŏsŏng-guyŏk (; ) *

Songyo-guyok Sŏn'gyo-guyŏk or Songyo District is one of the 18 guyŏk that constitute the city of Pyongyang, North Korea. It is on the eastern bank of the Taedong River at the center of East Pyongyang. It is bordered to the south by Nakrang-guyok, to the ...

(; ) *

Tongdaewŏn-guyŏk Tongdaewŏn-guyŏk or Tongdaewon District is one of the 18 wards, and one of the six that constitute East Pyongyang, North Korea. It sits on the eastern bank of the Taedong River. It is north of Sŏn'gyo-guyŏk (Songyo District), south of Taedo ...

(; ) *

Taedonggang-guyŏk Taedonggang-guyŏk (), or Taedong River District, is one of the 18 guyŏk, and one of the six that constitute East Pyongyang, North Korea. Taedonggang-guyŏk is on the eastern bank of the Taedong River, north of Tongdaewŏn-guyŏk and west of S ...

(; ) *

Sadong-guyŏk Sadong-guyŏk, or Sadong District, is one of the 18 guyŏk, and one of the six, that constitute East Pyongyang, North Korea. It is on the eastern bank of the Taedong River, and the mouth of the Nam River. It is north of Ryŏkp'o-guyŏk (Ryok ...

(; ) *

Mangyongdae-guyok Man'gyŏngdae-guyŏk or Man'gyŏngdae District () is one of the 18 guyŏk (wards) that constitute Pyongyang, P'yŏngyang, North Korea. It began as a village called Mangyongdae-ri, Man'gyŏngdae-ri in South Pyongan Province, South P'yŏngan Prov ...

(; ) *

Hyongjesan-guyok Hyŏngjesan-guyŏk, or Hyŏngjesan District is one of the 19 guyŏk that constitute Pyongyang, North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern ha ...

(; ) * Hwasong-guyok (; ) * Ryongsong-guyok (; ) * Samsok-guyok (; ) *

Ryokpo-guyok Ryŏkp'o-guyŏk, or Ryŏkp'o District, is one of the 18 wards (guyŏk) that constitute Pyongyang, North Korea. This is where part of the Goguryeo tombs of Pyongyang can be found. Etymology The county name is after a village called ryokpodong.The ...

(; ) *

Rakrang-guyok Rangrang-guyŏk or Rangrang District is one of the 18 ''kuyŏk'' that constitute the city of Pyongyang, North Korea. It is located south of the Taedong River, and is bordered to the north by Songyo-guyok, to the east by the Ryokpo-guyok, and to ...

(; ) * Sunan-guyŏk (; ) *

Unjong-guyok Ŭnjŏng-guyŏk, or Ŭnjŏng District is one of the 18 guyŏk that constitute Pyongyang, North Korea, known for its scientific facilities. The district was named as such to honor the "benevolent affection (Korean word is Unjong)" and love of the ...

(; ) *

Kangdong County Kangdong County is one of Pyongyang's two suburban counties. In 1983 it was separated from South P'yongan Province and assumed direct governance by the Pyongyang City People's Committee. It is bordered by Sŏngch'ŏn-gun (Songchon County), South ...

(; ) *

Kangnam County Kangnam County is one of the two suburban counties of Pyongyang, North Korea. It is north-west of Songrim, north-east of Hwangju County, west of Chunghwa County, and south of Nakrang-guyok. It is the location of cooperative farms and smaller in ...

(; ) *

Panghyŏn-dong Panghyŏn-dong is a neighbourhood that is an exclave of the city of Pyongyang, North Korea, used as a missile base. It is located near the city of Kusong, which it was formerly part of. The neighbourhood became part of Pyongyang in 2018. The area i ...

(; ) Foreign media reports in 2010 stated that

Kangnam-gun Kangnam County is one of the two suburban counties of Pyongyang, North Korea. It is north-west of Songrim, north-east of Hwangju County, west of Chunghwa County, and south of Nakrang-guyok. It is the location of cooperative farms and smaller in ...

Chunghwa-gun Chunghwa County is a county of North Hwanghae, formerly one of the four suburban counties of East Pyongyang, North Korea. It sits north of Hwangju-gun, North Hwanghae, east of Kangnam-gun, North Hwanghae, west of Sangwŏn-gun, North Hwanghae, an ...

Sangwŏn-gun Sangwŏn County is a county of North Hwanghae, formerly one of the four suburban counties located in east P'yŏngyang, North Korea. Prior to 1952, Sangwŏn was merely a township of Chunghwa County. In 1952 it was separated as a separate county, ...

, and

Sŭngho-guyŏk Sŭngho or Sŭngho-gun is a county of North Hwanghae Province North Hwanghae Province (Hwanghaebuk-to; , lit. "north Yellow Sea province") is a province of North Korea. The province was formed in 1954 when the former Hwanghae Province was s ...

had been transferred to the administration of neighboring

North Hwanghae Province North Hwanghae Province (Hwanghaebuk-to; , lit. "north Yellow Sea province") is a province of North Korea. The province was formed in 1954 when the former Hwanghae Province was split into North and South Hwanghae. The provincial capital is S ...

. However, Kangnam-gun was returned to Pyongyang in 2011. Panghyŏn-dong, a missile base, was administrated by

Kusong Kusŏng (; ) is a city in central North Pyongan province, North Korea. It borders Taegwan to the north, Taechon to the east, Kwaksan and Chongju to the south, and Chonma to the west. The highest point is Chongryongsan (청룡산, 920 m). E ...

North Pyongan Province North Pyongan Province (also spelled North P'yŏngan; ; ) is a western provinces of North Korea, province of North Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the northern half of the former Pyongan Province, P'yŏng'an Province, remained a pro ...

. It had been transferred to the administration of P'yŏngyang on February 10, 2018.

Cityscape

After being destroyed during the Korean War, Pyongyang was entirely rebuilt according to Kim Il Sung's vision, which was to create a capital that would boost morale in the post-war years. The result was a city with wide, tree-lined

boulevard A boulevard is a type of broad avenue planted with rows of trees, or in parts of North America, any urban highway or wide road in a commercial district. In Europe, boulevards were originally circumferential roads following the line of former ...

s and public buildings with terraced landscaping,

mosaic A mosaic () is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/Mortar (masonry), mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and ...

s and decorated ceilings. Its Soviet-style architecture makes it reminiscent of a

n city during winter snowfall, although edifices of traditional Korean design somewhat soften this perception. In summer, it is notable for its rivers, willow trees, flowers and parkland. Since the end of the

the city was planned strictly according to

Socialist Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...

principles. According to the 1953 masterplan designed Kim Jung-hee the city was planned to reach one-million residents stretching from the

to the

Pothong River The Pothong River (Pot'ong River, Potonggang or Potong) is a river in North Korea. It flows through the capital Pyongyang and is a tributary of the Taedong River. There are several bridges across the river in Pyongyang, including one at its mou ...

. The city center was planned as the main administrative district with main landscape structures constructed in between districts and are used as buffer zones so that they cannot expand freely. The city center was planned with wide avenues and streets and monumental structures and 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 promotes the

Ideology of the Workers' Party of Korea Officially, the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK)the ruling party of North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea)is a communist party guided by Kimilsungism–Kimjongilism, a synthesis of the ideas of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. The party ...

and

North Korean cult of personality The North Korean cult of personality surrounding the Kim family has existed in North Korea for decades and can be found in many examples of North Korean culture. Although not acknowledged by the North Korean government, many defectors and West ...

around Kim family with the epicentre and Kilometre zero of the central district located at Kim Il Sung Square. The 1953 masterplan set the basic layout from which the city's development was derived in the next decades with a unit district system which mixes residential and industrial zoning. Those districts are spread around the central administrative district and together with it they form the key axis of directionality for the city expansion. While in the 50s the major emphasis was placed on the reconstruction of Pyongyang from its ruins as carefully a socialist city in strict line with the masterplan, the 60s and 70s saw new wave of development which included expansion of the central boulevards, construction of high-density apartment buildings along the central boulevards, grandiose civic and cultural buildings and monumental statues and squares. This tendency included also the inclusion of traditional

Korean architecture Korean architecture () refers to an architectural style that developed over centuries in Korea. Throughout the history of Korea, various kingdoms and royal dynasties have developed a unique style of architecture with influences from Korean Buddh ...

for some buildings. While the development generally followed the 1953 master plan, it diverted from it in some aspects, such as the construction of high-rises along the central avenues, a step conflicted with the 1953 plan which called for more even distribution of the residential construction throughout the city in several multi-cores. The 90s saw a relative slowdown in the development of the urban structure due to the deep economic crisis and

famine A famine is a widespread scarcity of food caused by several possible factors, including, but not limited to war, natural disasters, crop failure, widespread poverty, an Financial crisis, economic catastrophe or government policies. This phenom ...

which swept through North Korea and led to the diversion of resources to the army. The 2010s and 2020s saw renewed efforts in urbanization and increasing density with the reconstruction of streets and avenues located further from the center and transformation of former rural parts of the city into high density residential districts. The streets are laid out in a north–south, east–west grid, giving the city an orderly appearance. North Korean designers applied the Swedish experience of self-sufficient urban neighbourhoods throughout the entire country, and Pyongyang is no exception. 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 tailor is a person who makes or alters clothing, particularly in men's clothing. The Oxford English Dictionary dates the term to the thirteenth century. History Although clothing construction goes back to prehistory, there is evidence of ...

, a public bathhouse, a

post office A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letter (message), letters and parcel (package), parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post o ...

, a clinic, a library and others. Many residents occupy high-rise apartment buildings. One of Kim Il Sung's priorities while designing Pyongyang was to limit the population. Authorities maintain a restrictive regime of movement into the city, making it atypical of

East Asia East Asia is a geocultural region of Asia. It includes China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan, plus two special administrative regions of China, Hong Kong and Macau. The economies of Economy of China, China, Economy of Ja ...

as it is silent, uncrowded and spacious. 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 Arch of Triumph may refer to: * Triumphal arch, a monumental structure in the shape of an arch Structures * Arc de Triomf, an 1888 structure in Barcelona, Spain * Arc de Triomphe, an 1836 structure in the Place Charles de Gaulle, Paris, France * ...

and the

Mansu Hill Grand Monument The Mansu Hill Grand Monument () is a complex of monuments in Pyongyang, North Korea. There are 229 figures in all, commemorating the history of the revolutionary struggle of the Korean people, and especially their leaders. The central part of t ...

. The first of them is a

granite Granite ( ) is a coarse-grained (phanerite, phaneritic) intrusive rock, intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly coo ...

spire symbolizing the ''

Juche ''Juche'', officially the ''Juche'' idea, is a component of Ideology of the Workers' Party of Korea#Kimilsungism–Kimjongilism, Kimilsungism–Kimjongilism, the state ideology of North Korea and the official ideology of the Workers' Party o ...

'' ideology. It was completed in 1982 and contains 25,550 granite blocks, one for each day of Kim Il Sung's life up to that point. The most prominent building on Pyongyang's skyline is

Ryugyong Hotel The Ryugyong Hotel (; sometimes spelled as Ryu-Gyong Hotel), or Yu-Kyung Hotel, is a tall unfinished pyramid-shaped skyscraper in Pyongyang, North Korea. Its name ( "capital of willows") is also one of the historical names for Pyongyang. The ...

, the seventh highest building in the world terms of floor count, the tallest unoccupied building in the world, and one of the

tallest hotels in the world Tall commonly refers to: *Tall, a degree of height **Tall, a degree of human height Tall may also refer to: Places * Tall, Semnan, a village in Semnan Province of Iran * River Tall, a river in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom Arts. entertain ...

. 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

described Changjon Street as "pitiful". Other housing complexes are being upgraded as well, but most are still poorly insulated, and lacking elevators and 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

Views from Yanggakdo International Hotel 10

Notable landmarks in the city include: * The

* The

Kumsusan Palace of the Sun The Kumsusan Palace of the Sun (), formerly the Kumsusan Memorial Palace (), is a building near the northeast corner of the city of Pyongyang that serves as the mausoleum for Kim Il Sung, first Supreme Leader (North Korean title), Supreme Leader ...

* The

(heavily inspired by, but larger than,

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

Arc de Triomphe The Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile, often called simply the Arc de Triomphe, is one of the most famous monuments in Paris, France, standing at the western end of the Champs-Élysées at the centre of Place Charles de Gaulle, formerly named Plac ...

) * The birthplace of Kim Il Sung at

Mangyongdae Mangyongdae () is a neighborhood in Mangyongdae-guyok, Pyongyang, North Korea. North Korean propaganda claims Mangyongdae is the birthplace of North Korean leader Kim Il Sung, although in his memoirs A memoir (; , ) is any nonfiction narra ...

Hill at the city outskirts * ''Juche'' Tower * Two large stadiums: **

Rungrado 1st of May Stadium The Rungrado 1st of May Stadium () is a multi-purpose stadium occupying an area of on the island Rŭngrado, Pyongyang, North Korea. It opened on 1 May 1989, with its first major event being the 13th World Festival of Youth and Students. It ...

** Kim Il Sung Stadium * The Mansu Hill complex, including the

Korean Revolution Museum The Korean Revolution Museum (), located in Pyongyang, North Korea, was founded on August 1, 1948, and holds a large exhibition of items related to Kim Il Sung and the Korean revolutionary movement. It is situated behind the Mansu Hill Grand Monu ...

* Kim Il Sung Square * Yanggakdo International Hotel

Pyongyang TV Tower Pyongyang TV Tower is a free-standing concrete TV tower with an observation deck and a panorama restaurant at a height of in Pyongyang, North Korea. The tower stands in Kaeson Park in Moranbong-guyok, north of Kim Il-sung Stadium. The tower bro ...

is a minor landmark. Other visitor attractions include the

. The

Reunification Highway A political union is a type of political entity which is composed of, or created from, smaller politics or the process which achieves this. These smaller polities are usually called federated states and federal territories in a federal govern ...

stretches from Pyongyang to the

Korean Demilitarized Zone The Korean Demilitarized Zone () is a heavily militarized strip of land running across the Korea, Korean Peninsula near the 38th parallel north. The demilitarized zone (DMZ) is a border barrier that divides the peninsula roughly in half. It wa ...

(DMZ). File:Juche Tower (7399212056).jpg, ''Juche'' Tower Monument to the philosophy of ''

'' (self-reliance) File:PyongYang-Arch of Triumph.jpg,

File:Party-Foundation-Monument.jpg,

Monument to Party Founding The Monument to Party Founding () is a monument in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea. The monument is rich in symbolism: its hammer, sickle and calligraphy brush symbolize the workers, farmers and intellectuals. It is 50 meters high to sym ...

File:Kumsusan Memorial Palace, Pyongyang.jpg,

File:Tomb of King Tongmyong, Pyongyang, North Korea-1.jpg, Tomb of King Tongmyeong File:Ryugyong Hotel - August 27, 2011 (Cropped).jpg,

File:Ryomyong Street.png, Ryomyong New Town File:Mirae Scientists Street - Nordkorea 2015 - Pjöngjang (22971791331).jpg,

File:Rungnado May Day Stadium, Pyongyang, North Korea (2910089252).jpg,

Rungrado May Day Stadium The Rungrado 1st of May Stadium () is a multi-purpose stadium occupying an area of on the island Rŭngrado, Pyongyang, North Korea. It opened on 1 May 1989, with its first major event being the 13th World Festival of Youth and Students. It ...

Culture

Cuisine

Pyongyang served as the provincial capital of

South Pyongan Province South Pyongan Province (; ) is a province of North Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the southern half of the former Pyongan Province, remained a province of Korea until 1945, then became a province of North Korea. Its capital is Pyo ...

until 1946, and Pyongyang cuisine shares the general culinary tradition of the Pyongan province. The most famous local food is '' Pyongyang raengmyŏn'', or also called ''mul raengmyŏn'' or just simply ''raengmyŏn''. ''Raengmyŏn'' literally means "cold noodles", while the affix ''mul'' refers to water because the dish is served in a cold broth. ''Raengmyŏn'' consists of thin and chewy buckwheat noodles in a cold meat-broth with ''

dongchimi ''Dongchimi'' () is a variety of kimchi consisting of Korean radish, napa cabbage, scallions, pickled green chilli, ginger, Korean pear and watery brine in Korean cuisine. As the name ''dong'' () and ''chimi'' (, an ancient term for "kimchi" ...

'' (watery kimchi) and topped with a slice of sweet

Korean pear ''Pyrus pyrifolia'' is a species of pear tree native to southern China and northern Indochina that has been introduced to Korea, Japan and other parts of the world. The tree's edible fruit is known by many names, including Asian pear, Persian pea ...

. Pyongyang ''raengmyŏn'' was originally eaten in homes built with ''

ondol (; , ; ) or ''gudeul'' (; ) in Korean traditional architecture is underfloor heating that uses direct heat transfer from wood smoke to heat the underside of a thick masonry floor. In modern usage, it refers to any type of underfloor heating, or ...

'' (traditional

underfloor heating Underfloor heating and cooling is a form of Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, central heating and cooling that achieves indoor climate control for thermal comfort using hydronics, hydronic or electrical heating elements embedded in a fl ...

) during the cold winter, so it is also called ''"Pyongyang deoldeori"'' (shivering in Pyongyang). Pyongyang locals sometimes enjoyed it as a ''

haejangguk ''Haejang-guk'' * () or hangover soup refers to every kind of '' guk'' or soup eaten as a hangover cure in Korean cuisine. It means "soup to chase a hangover" and is also called ''sulguk'' (). It usually consists of dried napa cabbage, vegetabl ...

'', which is any type of food eaten as a hangover cure, usually a warm soup. Another representative Pyongyang dish, ''

Taedonggang sungeoguk ''Sungeo-guk'' () is a variety of '' guk'', or Korean soup, made with flathead grey mullet and black pepper. It has a clear broth seasoned with salt, minced garlic, ginger juice, and chopped scallions. During ancient times, the flathead grey mul ...

'', translates as "flathead grey mullet soup from the

". The soup features

flathead grey mullet The flathead grey mullet (''Mugil cephalus'') is an important food fish species in the mullet family Mugilidae. It is found in coastal temperate, tropical and subtropical waters worldwide. Its length is typically . It is known with numerous En ...

(abundant in the Taedong River) along with black peppercorns and salt. Traditionally, it has been served to guests visiting Pyongyang. Therefore, there is a common saying, "How good was the trout soup?", which is used to greet people returning from Pyongyang. Another local specialty, ''Pyongyang onban'' (literally "warm rice of Pyongyang") comprises freshly cooked rice topped with sliced mushrooms, chicken, and a couple of ''

bindaetteok ''Bindae-tteok'' (), or mung bean pancake, is a type of ''buchimgae'' (Korean pancake) that originated in the Pyongan Province. * It is made by grinding soaked mung beans, adding vegetables and meat and pan-frying it into a round, flat shape. Et ...

'' (pancakes made from ground mung beans and vegetables).

Social life

In 2018, there were many high-quality restaurants in Pyongyang with Korean and international food, and imported alcoholic beverages. Famous restaurants include

Okryu-gwan Okryu-gwan or Okryu Restaurant is a restaurant in Pyongyang, North Korea, founded in 1960. South Korea analyst Andrei Lankov describes it as one of two restaurants, the other being Ch'ongryugwan, which have "defined the culinary life of Pyong ...

and Ch'ongryugwan. Some

street food Street food is food sold by a Hawker (trade), hawker or vendor on a street or at another public place, such as a market, fair, or park. It is often sold from a portable food booth, food cart, or food truck and is meant for immediate consumption ...

s exist in Pyongyang, where vendors operate

food stall A food boothalso called a food kiosk, food stand, food stall or temporary food service facilityis a temporary structure used to prepare and sell food to the general public, usually where large groups of people are situated outdoors in a park, at ...

s. Foreign foods like hamburgers, fries, pizza, and coffee are easily found. There is an active nightlife with late-night restaurants and karaoke. The city has water parks,

amusement parks An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, and events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central theme, often fea ...

, skating rinks, health clubs, a shooting range, and a dolphinarium.

Sports

Pyongyang has a number of sports clubs, including the

April 25 Sports Club April 25 Sports Club (, ''Sa io ch'eyuktan''), shortly 4.25 SC, also known as April 25 National Defence Sports Club (4.25'국방체육단', ''Sa io "Kukpang ch'eyuktan"''), is a multi-sports club based in Pyongyang, North Korea, primarily known ...

and the

Pyongyang City Sports Club Pyongyang Sports Club () is a North Korean organization of education specialty with several departments.http://www.korea-np.co.jp/news/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleID=21687 This organization is based in Pyongyang and plays at the Kim Il Sung Stad ...

Economy

Pyongyang is North Korea's industrial center. Thanks to the abundance of natural resources like

coal Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other Chemical element, elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen. Coal i ...

iron Iron is a chemical element; it has symbol Fe () and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, forming much of Earth's o ...

and

limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...

, as well as good land and water transport systems, it was the first industrial city to emerge in North Korea after the Korean War. Light and heavy industries are both present and have developed in parallel. Heavy manufactures include

cement A cement is a binder, a chemical substance used for construction that sets, hardens, and adheres to other materials to bind them together. Cement is seldom used on its own, but rather to bind sand and gravel ( aggregate) together. Cement mi ...

, industrial ceramics, munitions and weapons, but mechanical engineering remains the core industry. Light industries in Pyongyang and its vicinity include

textiles Textile is an Hyponymy and hypernymy, umbrella term that includes various Fiber, fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, Staple (textiles)#Filament fiber, filaments, Thread (yarn), threads, and different types of #Fabric, fabric. ...

, footwear and food, among others. Special emphasis is put on the production and supply of fresh produce and subsidiary crops in farms on the city's outskirts. Other crops include

rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...

sweetcorn Sweet corn (''Zea mays'' convar. ''saccharata'' var. ''rugosa''), also called sweetcorn, sugar corn and pole corn, is a variety of maize grown for human consumption with a high sugar content. Sweet corn is the result of a naturally occurring rec ...

and

soybeans The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean. Soy is a staple crop, the world's most grown legume, and an important animal feed. Soy is a key source of f ...

. Pyongyang aims to achieve self-sufficiency in meat production. High-density facilities raise pigs, chicken and other livestock. Until the late 2010s Pyongyang still experienced frequent shortages of electricity. To solve this problem, two power stations – Huichon Power Stations 1 and 2 – were built in

Chagang Province Chagang Province (; ) is a province of North Korea; it is bordered by China's Jilin and Liaoning provinces to the north, Ryanggang and South Hamgyong to the east, South Pyongan to the south, and North Pyongan to the west. Chagang was formed ...

and supply the city through direct transmission lines. A second phase of the power expansion project was launched in January 2013, consisting of a series of small dams along the

Chongchon River The Ch'ŏngch'ŏn is a river in North Korea having its source in the Rangrim Mountains of Chagang Province and emptying into the Yellow Sea at Sinanju. The river flows past Myohyang-san and through the city of Anju, South P'yŏngan Provi ...

. The first two power stations have a maximum generating capacity of 300 megawatts (MW), while the 10 dams to be built under second phase are expected to generate about 120 MW. In addition, the city has several existing or planned

thermal power station A thermal power station, also known as a thermal power plant, is a type of power station in which the heat energy generated from various fuel sources (e.g., coal, natural gas, nuclear fuel, etc.) is converted to electrical energy. The heat ...

s. These include Pyongyang TPS with a capacity of 500 MW, East Pyongyang TPS with a capacity of 50 MW, and Kangdong TPS which is under construction.

Retail

Pyongyang is home to several large department stores including the

Pothonggang Department Store The Pothonggang Department Store () is a department store in Pyongyang, North Korea. It is located near the Pothong River ("Pothonggang" in Korean). The Pothonggang Department Store was officially opened by Kim Jong Il in December 2010. It was ...

Pyongyang Department Store No. 1 The Pyongyang Department Store No. 1 () is a major retail store in Pyongyang, North Korea. On Sungri Street near Kim Il-sung Square in downtown Pyongyang, it is one of the largest retail stores in the country and is often the site of large commo ...

, Pyongyang Department Store No. 2, Kwangbok Department Store, Ragwon Department Store, Pyongyang Station Department Store, and the Pyongyang Children's Department Store. The city also has Hwanggumbol Shop, a chain of state-owned convenience stores supplying goods at prices cheaper than those in the

jangmadang ''Jangmadang'' (; ) are North Korean local markets, farmers' markets, black markets and bazaars. Since the North Korean famine in the 1990s, they have formed a large informal economy, and the government has become more lenient towards them. ...

markets. Hwanggumbol Shops are specifically designed to control North Korea's expanding markets by attracting consumers and guaranteeing the circulation of money in government-operated stores.

Transportation

Pyongyang is the main transport hub of the country: it has a network of roads, railways and air routes which link it to both foreign and domestic destinations. It is the starting point of inter-regional highways reaching Nampo, Wonsan and Kaesong. Pyongyang railway station serves the main railway lines, including the

Pyongui Line The P'yŏngŭi Line is an electrified main trunk line of the Korean State Railway of North Korea, running from P'yŏngyang to Sinŭiju on the border with China.Kokubu, Hayato, 将軍様の鉄道 (Shōgun-sama no Tetsudō), It is the main co ...

and the

Pyongbu Line The P'yŏngbu Line is an electrified standard-gauge trunk line of the Korean State Railway running from P'yŏngyang to Kaesŏng in North Korea and further south across the DMZ to Seoul in South Korea; the name comes from the two (theoretical) ...

. Regular international rail services to

Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...

, the Chinese border city of

Dandong Dandong ( zh, s=丹东 , t=丹東 , p=Dāndōng; lit. "Red East"), formerly known as Andong, is a coastal prefecture-level city in southeastern Liaoning province, in the northeastern region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest ...

and

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

are also available. A rail journey to Beijing takes about 25 hours and 25 minutes (K27 from Beijing/K28 from Pyongyang, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays); a journey to Dandong takes about 6 hours (daily); a journey to Moscow takes six days. The city also connects to the

Eurasian Land Bridge The Eurasian Land Bridge (), sometimes called the New Silk Road (, ), is the rail transport route for moving freight and passengers overland between Pacific seaports in the Russian Far East and China and seaports in Europe. The route, a trans ...

via the

Trans-Siberian Railway The Trans-Siberian Railway, historically known as the Great Siberian Route and often shortened to Transsib, is a large railway system that connects European Russia to the Russian Far East. Spanning a length of over , it is the longest railway ...

. A

high-speed rail High-speed rail (HSR) is a type of rail transport network utilising trains that run significantly faster than those of traditional rail, using an integrated system of specialised rolling stock and dedicated railway track, tracks. While there is ...

link to Wonsan is planned. The

Metro Metro may refer to: Geography * Metro City (Indonesia), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urban area with high ...

tram A tram (also known as a streetcar or trolley in Canada and the United States) is an urban rail transit in which Rolling stock, vehicles, whether individual railcars or multiple-unit trains, run on tramway tracks on urban public streets; some ...

and trolleybus systems are used mainly by commuters as a primary means of urban transportation. Cycle lanes were introduced on main thoroughfares in July 2015. There are relatively few

car A car, or an automobile, is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of cars state that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people rather than cargo. There are around one billio ...

s in the city. Cars are a symbol of status in the country due to their scarcity as a result of restrictions on import because of international sanctions and domestic regulations. Some roads are also reported to be in poor condition. However, by 2018, Pyongyang had begun to experience traffic jams. State-owned

Air Koryo Air Koryo () is North Korea's flag carrier and only commercial airline. It is state-owned and controlled by the North Korean air force. Headquartered in Sunan-guyŏk, Pyongyang, it operates domestic and international routeson a regular schedul ...

has scheduled international flights from

Pyongyang Sunan International Airport Pyongyang International Airport () , also known as Pyongyang Sunan International Airport (), is the sole international airport serving Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea and located in the city's Sunan District. History Early years During ...

to Beijing ( PEK),

Shenyang Shenyang,; ; Mandarin pronunciation: ; formerly known as Fengtian formerly known by its Manchu language, Manchu name Mukden, is a sub-provincial city in China and the list of capitals in China#Province capitals, provincial capital of Liaonin ...

(

SHE She or S.H.E. may refer to: Language * She (pronoun), the third person singular, feminine, nominative case pronoun in modern English Places * She County, Anhui ** She Prefecture, 589-1121 * She County, Hebei * She River, or Sheshui, Hubei * ...

Vladivostok Vladivostok ( ; , ) is the largest city and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai and the capital of the Far Eastern Federal District of Russia. It is located around the Zolotoy Rog, Golden Horn Bay on the Sea of Japan, covering an area o ...

( VVO),

Shanghai Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...

( PVG) and

. The only domestic destinations are

Hamhung Hamhŭng (''Hamhŭng-si''; ) is North Korea's List of cities in North Korea, second-most populous city, the capital of South Hamgyong, South Hamgyŏng Province and the 16th largest city in the Korea, Korean Peninsula. Located in the southern part ...

Wonsan Wonsan (), previously known as Wonsanjin (), is a port city and naval base located in Kangwon Province (North Korea), Kangwon Province, North Korea, along the eastern side of the Korean Peninsula, on the Sea of Japan and the provincial capital. ...

Chongjin Chŏngjin (; ) is the capital of North Korea's North Hamgyong Province (함경북도) and the country's List of cities in North Korea, third-largest city. Sometimes called the City of Iron, it is located in the northeast of the country. History ...

Hyesan Hyesan () is a city in the northern part of Ryanggang province of North Korea. It is a hub of river transportation as well as a product distribution centre. It is also the administrative centre of Ryanggang Province. As of 2008, the population o ...

and

Samjiyon Samjiyŏn is a city in Ryanggang Province, North Korea. It takes its name from three lakes in the city, which are collectively known as the Samjiyŏn. Samjiyŏn is situated near Mount Paektu, and tour groups fly to the city's airport to see t ...

. Since 31 March 2008,

Air China Air China, officially Air China Limited, ( zh, s=中国国际航空公司, labels=no, ''Zhōngguó guójì hángkōng gōngsī'') is a major Chinese airline and the flag carrier of the People's Republic of China. It is headquartered in Shunyi ...

launched a regular service between Beijing and Pyongyang, although Air China's flights are often canceled due to lack of passengers.

Education and science

Kim Il Sung University Kim Il Sung University () is a public university in Taesong, Pyongyang, North Korea. It was founded on 1 October 1946 and was the first tertiary education institution established in post-war North Korea. The 15-hectare campus, along with the m ...

, North Korea's oldest university, was established in 1946. It has 21 faculties, 4 research institutes, and 10 other university units. These include the primary medical education and health personnel training unit, the medical college; a physics faculty which covers a range of studies including

theoretical physics Theoretical physics is a branch of physics that employs mathematical models and abstractions of physical objects and systems to rationalize, explain, and predict List of natural phenomena, natural phenomena. This is in contrast to experimental p ...

, optical science,

geophysics Geophysics () is a subject of natural science concerned with the physical processes and Physical property, properties of Earth and its surrounding space environment, and the use of quantitative methods for their analysis. Geophysicists conduct i ...

and

astrophysics Astrophysics is a science that employs the methods and principles of physics and chemistry in the study of astronomical objects and phenomena. As one of the founders of the discipline, James Keeler, said, astrophysics "seeks to ascertain the ...

; an atomic energy institute and the largest law firm in the country (Ryongnamsan Law Office). Kim Il Sung University also has its own publishing house, sports club (

Ryongnamsan Sports Club Ryongnamsan Sports Club () is a North Korean multi-sports club based in Pyongyang and affiliated with Kim Il Sung University. They formerly competed in the DPR Korea Premier Football League. It is named after Ryongnamsan (), a mountain in Pyong ...

), revolutionary museum, nature museum, libraries, a gym, indoor swimming pool and educator apartment houses. Its four main buildings were completed in 1965 (Building 1), 1972 (Building 2), and 2017 (Buildings 3 and 4). Kim Il-sung University computer room

Other higher education establishments include

Kim Chaek University of Technology Kim Chaek University of Technology () is a university in North Korea, on the banks of the Taedong River in Pyongyang. It is named after General Kim Chaek. The university's programs in nuclear reactors, nuclear electronics, nuclear fuel and nucle ...

Pyongyang University of Music and Dance The Pyongyang University of Music and Dance is a North Korean performing arts university founded in July 1972 in the Taedonggang District of Pyongyang from a merge with the Pyongyang Art College. Its facilities include a full orchestra and a mus ...

and Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies. Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST) is the country's first private university where most of the lecturers are American and courses are carried out in English. A science and technology hall is under construction on Ssuk Islet. Its stated purpose is to contribute to the "informatization of educational resources" by centralizing teaching materials, compulsory literature and experimental data for state-level use in a digital format.

Sosong-guyok Sŏsŏng-guyŏk, or Sosong District, is one of the 18 guyŏk of Pyongyang, North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Ko ...

hosts a 20

MeV In physics, an electronvolt (symbol eV), also written electron-volt and electron volt, is the measure of an amount of kinetic energy gained by a single electron accelerating through an electric potential difference of one volt in vacuum. When us ...

cyclotron A cyclotron is a type of particle accelerator invented by Ernest Lawrence in 1929–1930 at the University of California, Berkeley, and patented in 1932. Lawrence, Ernest O. ''Method and apparatus for the acceleration of ions'', filed: Januar ...

called MGC-20. The initial project was approved by the

International Atomic Energy Agency The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an intergovernmental organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear technology, nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. It was ...

(IAEA) in 1983 and funded by the IAEA, the United States and the North Korean government. The cyclotron was ordered from the

in 1985 and constructed between 1987 and 1990. It is used for student training, production of medical isotopes for

nuclear medicine Nuclear medicine (nuclear radiology, nucleology), is a medical specialty involving the application of radioactivity, radioactive substances in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Nuclear imaging is, in a sense, ''radiology done inside out'', ...

as well as studies in biology, chemistry and physics.

Health care

Medical centers include the Red Cross Hospital, the First People's Hospital which is located near Moran Hill and was the first hospital to be built in North Korea after the

liberation of Korea Liberation or liberate may refer to: Film and television * ''Liberation'' (film series), a 1970–1971 series about the Great Patriotic War * "Liberation" (''The Flash''), a TV episode * "Liberation" (''K-9''), an episode Gaming * '' Liberati ...

in 1945, the Second People's Hospital, Ponghwa Recuperative Center (also known as

Bonghwa Clinic The Ponghwa Clinic and Hospital () is a hospital located in Sinwŏn-dong, Potonggang-guyok, Pyongyang, North Korea, and is believed to be one of the top hospitals in North Korea, treating members of the political elite. It is administered by the ...

or Presidential Clinic) located in Sokam-dong,

, northwest of Kim Il Sung Square, Pyongyang Medical School Hospital, Namsan Treatment Center which is adjacent Pyongyang's Maternity Hospital, Taesongsan General Hospital, Kim Man-yoo Hospital, Staff Treatment Center and Okryu Children's Hospital. A new hospital named

began construction in Pyongyang in 2020.

Twin towns – sister cities

Pyongyang is twinned with: *

Baghdad Baghdad ( or ; , ) is the capital and List of largest cities of Iraq, largest city of Iraq, located along the Tigris in the central part of the country. With a population exceeding 7 million, it ranks among the List of largest cities in the A ...

, Iraq *

Chiang Mai Chiang Mai, sometimes written as Chiengmai or Chiangmai, is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai province and the List of municipalities in Thailand#Largest cities by urban population, second largest city in Thailan ...

, Thailand *

Dubai Dubai (Help:IPA/English, /duːˈbaɪ/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''doo-BYE''; Modern Standard Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic: ; Emirati Arabic, Emirati Arabic: , Romanization of Arabic, romanized: Help:IPA/English, /diˈbej/) is the Lis ...

, United Arab Emirates *

Jakarta Jakarta (; , Betawi language, Betawi: ''Jakartè''), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (; ''DKI Jakarta'') and formerly known as Batavia, Dutch East Indies, Batavia until 1949, is the capital and largest city of Indonesia and ...

, Indonesia *

Kathmandu Kathmandu () is the capital and largest city of Nepal, situated in the central part of the country within the Kathmandu Valley. As per the 2021 Nepal census, it has a population of 845,767 residing in 105,649 households, with approximately 4 mi ...

, Nepal *

, Russia *

Tianjin Tianjin is a direct-administered municipality in North China, northern China on the shore of the Bohai Sea. It is one of the National Central City, nine national central cities, with a total population of 13,866,009 inhabitants at the time of the ...

, China *

Ulaanbaatar Ulaanbaatar is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities in Mongolia, most populous city of Mongolia. It has a population of 1.6 million, and it is the coldest capital city in the world by average yearly temperature. The municipa ...

, Mongolia

Notes

References

Citations

Bibliography

* . *

External links

Interactive virtual tour
Aerial view of Pyongyang city

Panoramic view of Pyongyang city *
North Korea Uncovered
( North Korea Google Earth), a comprehensive mapping of North Korea, including all of the locations mentioned above, on

Google Earth Google Earth is a web mapping, web and computer program created by Google that renders a 3D computer graphics, 3D representation of Earth based primarily on satellite imagery. The program maps the Earth by superimposition, superimposing satelli ...

Holidays in Pyongyang

City profile of Pyongyang

Pyongyang at night

* * {{Authority control Capitals in Asia Directly Governed Cities and Special Administrative Regions of North Korea Socialist planned cities 12th-century BC establishments Populated places established in the 2nd millennium BC

Names

History

Prehistory

Historical period

After 1945

Geography

Climate

Politics

Administrative status and divisions

Cityscape

Landmarks

Culture

Cuisine

Social life

Sports

Economy

Retail

Transportation

Education and science

Health care

Twin towns – sister cities

See also

Notes

References

Citations

Bibliography

Further reading

External links

Pyongyang at night