Chung-guyok ( Korean : 중구역 ; lit. Central District) 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 , to the northwest by Potonggang-guyok , and to the south by Pyongchon-guyok .
15-576: As the centre of Pyongyang, the district holds many of the city's most important buildings. The famous Kim Il-sung Square is located along the banks of the Taedong river, together with the Grand People's Study House , which is the national library of North Korea. Chung-guyok was once the historical centre of Pyongyang, and was almost completely obliterated during the Korean War by American bombing. Vestiges of
30-570: A rally of more than 100,000 people. The square has a great cultural significance, as it is a common gathering place for concerts, rallies, dances and military parades and is often featured in media concerning North Korea. The Kim Il Sung Square is at the center of Pyongyang on the west bank of the Taedong River. It is similar in form and design to the Tiananmen Square in Beijing and is used for
45-631: Is also located here. Executive offices of the North Korean government and its industry are located in the area. The headquarters of the Workers' Party of Korea and the headquarters of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea are located in the area. Many new riverside terraced apartments were built along the Pothonggang Canal , a project which Kim Jong-un visited multiple times, and
60-437: Is approximately 110 km upstream from the mouth, Sunchon 192 km upstream, and Taehŭng 414 km upstream. Because of its depth, it is widely used for river transport; it is navigable by large ships up to 65 km inland, although most commercial traffic stops at Songrim . The kingdom of Koguryo was founded on its shores. Many archeological sites dating to the neolithic and Bronze Ages have been found along
75-653: The Rangrim Mountains of the country's north where it then flows southwest into Korea Bay at Namp'o . In between, it runs through the country's capital, Pyongyang . Along the river are landmarks such as the Juche Tower and Kim Il-sung Square . The river is 439 km or 272.7 mi in length, and is generally deep. It is the fifth-longest river on the Korean peninsula and the second-longest in North Korea. Pyongyang
90-544: The annual ‘anti-US’ rally event in 2018. In 2017, the protests that were held in Kim Il Sung Square were supposedly attended by 100,000 people. Furthermore, North Korea issued special anti-US postage stamps in 2017. The old ceremonial grandstand on the square's south side was renovated in 2020. Taedong River The Taedong River ( Korean : 대동강 ) is a large river in North Korea . The river rises in
105-577: The damage to the bridge, several hundred Koreans used it to cross the Taedong and flee south. Max Desfor 's photograph of the event, Flight of Refugees Across Wrecked Bridge in Korea , would win the 1951 Pulitzer Prize in Photography . In 1986, the government completed the 8-km-long West Sea Barrage , with three locks and 36 sluices , at the mouth of the Taedong River near Namp'o. The dam acts to control floodwater and to irrigate lands newly reclaimed from
120-630: The district was renamed by the 690th order of the Presidium of the SPA . Air Koryo has a booking office in Tongsŏng-dong. Chung-guyok is divided into nineteen administrative districts known as dong . Kim Il-sung Square Kim Il Sung Square is a large city square in the Central District of Pyongyang , North Korea , and is named after the country's founding leader, Kim Il Sung . The square
135-410: The east end of the square. At the south end are two flag poles which were installed in 2013 for use in national events. Under the square, there is a department store selling products such as toys. Kim Il Sung Square is the " kilometre zero " of North Korea from where all national road distances are measured. Portraits of Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin once hung on one of the buildings surrounding
150-985: The old city can still be seen, and the district is home to several of North Korea's National Treasures , including the rebuilt Potong and Taedong Gates , the Pyongyang Bell , the Ryongwang Pavilion , and the Sungryong and Sungin Halls . Other buildings include the Koryo Hotel , Taedonggang Hotel , Pyongyang First Department Store , the Korea Stamp Museum , the Pyongyang Central Children's palace and Taedongmoon Cinema . The Pyongyang Metro runs through this district, with stops at Yonggwang , Ponghwa and Sungri stations. Pyongyang's central railway station
165-581: The river, as well as relics and ruins from Koguryo. It was also once known as the Pae River ( 패수 ; 浿水 ; P’aesu ). The Taedong River basin is believed to be the location of the Taedonggang Culture, the historical centre of the Korean nation, when its ancient civilization flourished in 3000 BC. In 1954, a bridge going over the Taedong River was partially destroyed during the Korean War . Despite
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#1732869657698180-512: The same purposes. Since the completion of the square, multiple parades have been held to commemorate many different events and also to show the world the military capabilities of North Korea. The Kim Il Sung Square is architecturally more refined with its dramatic riverside setting. If an observer stands in the square, the Tower of the Juche Idea on the opposite bank appears to be located directly towards
195-557: The square, but were taken down sometime in 2012. During Kim Jong Il 's rule, only Kim Il Sung hung on these buildings, although his portrait on the building below the flag of the DPRK was removed. When Kim Jong-il died , his portrait was added to the buildings in commemoration. After the Singapore Trump-Kim summit in 2018, North Korea removed the anti- American imperialism propaganda in Kim Il Sung Square. Also, North Korea cancelled
210-622: The west end of the square, although it is actually across the Taedong River , as with the Workers' Party Monument and the Mansudae Grand Monument . This optical effect is created because the square is a few meters lower in the center when compared to the side near the Taedong River. Surrounding the square are a number of government buildings, with the Great People's Study House located at
225-606: Was constructed in 1954 according to a master plan for reconstructing the capital after the destruction of the Korean War . It was opened in August 1954. The square is located on the foot of the Namsan Hill , west bank of the Taedong River , directly opposite the Juche Tower on the other side of the river. It is the 37th largest square in the world , having an area of about 75,000 square metres (807,293 square feet) which can accommodate
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