Category Archive: Tourism

Sep 09

A symbol of the state of North Korea: The Ryugyong Hotel

Categories:

Economy, North Korea, Propaganda, South Korea, Tourism

September 9, 2010

image courtesy of ReutersPopularly dubbed as the “Hotel of Doom” or “The Worst Building in the World” this famous eyesore is the most distinguishing feature of the Pyongyang skyline. This building is the Ryugyong Hotel, or “105 Building”. Standing at 330 metres in height, the hotel was anticipated to be the largest in the world (for it’s time) and construction was supposed to be completed in June 1989 for the World Festival of Youth and Students. Construction halted in 1992 due to equipment shortages and North Korea’s worst famine that prevailed through much of the 1990s.
The Westin Stamford in Singapore had been completed in 1986 by South Korean contractors, crowning it the world’s largest hotel. As is typical of North Korean one-upmanship, the DPRK decided if the South could accomplish this, then the North could do it better. The design was 3 pyramids, two smaller ones on the left converging into an enormous triangle. The architecture, like other buildings in the DPRK, is soviet-style poured concrete with rectangular, equally sized and spaced windows throughout, resembling the holes of a harmonica.
The top of the hotel is an upside down cone consisting of 14 levels (8 of which were meant to rotate for a 360 degree view of Pyongyang). It houses over 360 000 square feet of space. Revolving restaurants, casinos and night clubs were meant to be fixtures in the hotel operated by foreign firms. When construction was cancelled, the large concrete husk loomed on the skyline, construction crane still on top, for nearly 15 years. It has been long speculated that due to poor materials, a sunken foundation and crooked elevator shafts have rendered the building useless.

In 2008, Egyptian company Orascom had a contract to construct a 3G mobile network in Pyongyang. However, that work seems to have extended to refurbishing the derelict hotel. Work is well underway adding glass surfaces to the exterior of the building, and telecommunication antennas. Interior renovations are said to follow. The banner to this website features the Pyongyang skyline in February 2009, and you can note the “purple” looking glass panels and green scaffolding around the cone. Here is a picture of a picture of a render of the building upon its completion (rumoured to be around 2012):
The video below shows a unique close-up view of the shoddy construction.

What’s next for this debacle of soviet-style engineering? Will it ever be completed, or will it remain empty and unused, only appearing fancy on the outside? In North Korea, you can only expect the unexpected…

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/644

Aug 23

Foreign Accounts – Westerners in the DPRK

Categories:

China, Military, North Korea, Russia, South Korea, Tourism, USA

August 23, 2010

These are folks who have travelled through North Korea whether as tourists, undercover journalists, or businessmen. Their tales give you a real feeling for what it must be like as an outsider inside the reclusive country. Reading these accounts is an easy way to get an idea of North Korea’s isolationist principles if you’re new to the subject. And I will update and bump this post as I come across more!

Five Days in Pyongyang – An American businessman is on a White House assembled business delegation to Pyongyang. Interesting for his insights and observations.

Don Parrish, a man who has been everywhere, gives his account of the typical “Arirang” tour through Pyongyang. Chock full of good information for newcomers on the subject. Great photos too.

The Forbidden Railway: Vienna – Pyongyang – As the title suggests, this unique trip involved taking a series of trains from Vienna, through Russia, straight into North Korea. Typically, such methods of travel for Westerners is forbidden, but this brave/crazy guy slipped under the radar and managed to spend 36 hours in the isolated state.

DPRK Travel – 2004 If you’ve watched the “Friends With Kim” documentary from the Documentaries section of this site, this is the photo blog from one of the featured tourists.

DPRK Travel – 2005 The first year NK opened up to American tourism for the Arirang Mass Games. Our friend from the North Korean Economy Watch returns to the DPRK after just one year.

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/646

Jul 29

Shanghai to Pyongyang twice weekly via Air Koryo

Categories:

China, Economy, North Korea, Tourism

July 29, 2010

Air Koryo has announced a new bi-weekly flight from Shanghai to Pyongyang. Perhaps nother route to promote tourism for the upcoming Arirang concerts in August?

Source: North Korean Economy Watch

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/114

Jul 28

Want to go to North Korea?

Categories:

North Korea, Tourism

July 28, 2010

While there are several documentaries and tales of Americans travelling to North Korea and getting nearly the same identical cookie cutter tour, you too can visit the DPRK for the annual Arirang Mass Games. Available in 3 – 8 day tours,  Americans, Japanese, Australians and Russians are invited to fly in from Shenyang, China to attend the mass propaganda tour and witness the spectacular gymnastics and “card flipping” mosaic operated by 100,000 synchronized NK athletes. Notable is the doubled cost for American tourist visas.

Source: DailyNK

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/88

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