North Korea’s former dictator, Kim Il-Sung (Kim Jong-Il’s father) is held in very high esteem, as shown by this absolutely gigantic bronze statue of the “Eternal Leader” who died in 1994.

This ground level photo should give you an idea of the sheer scale of the monument, where couples visit to lay a wreath just before they get married.

Thanks: eRez

This is the striking (and huge) Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea. It’s a 330-metre-tall pyramid-shaped building with 3,000 rooms, and was supposed to have 7 revolving restaurants, except they never actually finished it. Wikipedia says:

newspapers estimated the cost of construction was $750 million – 2% of North Korea’s GDP – and it is generally assumed construction came to a halt in 1992 due to lack of funding, acute electricity shortages, and the prevailing famine.

The building itself is complete, however it has no windows, fixtures or fittings – which makes it officially the world’s Tallest Unoccupied Building! In fact, it’s the tallest building by far in North Korea, the 18th tallest building in the entire world, and if it were ever to be completed, would be the world’s tallest hotel. Here’s a picture which really gives you a great impression of scale.

Thanks to Keith T, Soren Ragsdale, Josh Weinberg, zmaster and Jon Gaspar.

There’s a couple of airfields in North Korea that airplane buffs and wannabe spies will enjoy browsing.

Taechon airfield has numerous biplanes sitting in little bunkers and a couple more randomly parked on the runway. One submitter reckoned they could be AN-2 Colts.

Kaechon airfield has loads of unidentifiable planes sitting at the south end of the runway. Following a small road leads to more planes, perhaps a service area? Also off the same road is what appears to be a cave entrance with another plane (maybe two) blocking the way. I wonder what else they’ve got hidden in there?

Thanks: kb, Michael Davis, Steve Rot, Marc Armstrong, Joey, Pete, Tiger Wang, toufox, Kowy, Ranty B, BenQ, DJ Swammi & TGM.

When North Korea, China and the United Nations Command (UNC) signed the 1953 armistice which effectively ended the Korean War, they did so in a village called P’anmunjÅ?m. After the cease-fire was signed, construction began on a site located about one kilometre east of the village, the Joint Security Area (JSA). The three blue buildings straddle the border between North and South korea, and were designed and built by the UN to allow delegates from North Korea to enter one end, and delegates from South Korea to enter through the other. All meetings between the two countries have taken place in the JSA since its completion.

History lesson over If you’d like a more complete lesson, try the Wikipedia pages on the Korean War and P’anmunjÅ?m.

Thanks to Andry.

There isn’t much high res imagery in North Korea but in the thin slice that is visible there is a wacking great river. I’ve counted no less than three hulking dams on this river. They certainly seem to like their hydro electricity. There was also that big explosion in North Korea last year that was blamed on them blasting half a mountain away, to build another dam.