Kangdong Residence | |
Chosŏn'gŭl | 강동 관저 |
---|---|
Hancha | |
Revised Romanization | Gangdong Gwanjeo |
McCune–Reischauer | Kangdong Kwanjŏ |
Kangdong Residence [1] is the summer retreat and second major residence of the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un besides Ryongsong Residence. [2]
The residence is located in Kangdong-gun, a suburban county of Pyongyang, around 30 km (19 mi) northeast of Kim Il-sung Square. [3] Taedong River is just 1 km (0.62 mi) to the north. [4] The size of the whole leadership complex is around 4 km2 (1.5 sq mi). According to Kim Jong Il’s former bodyguard Lee Young-kuk there are at least eight North Korean leader’s residences outside Pyongyang. [5]
The compound was constructed in the 1980s and expanded in the 1990s under the order of Kim Jong Il. [6] It contains buildings for Kim Jong Il, his late wife Ko Yong-hui, his sister Kim Kyong-hui and his brother-in-law Jang Sung-taek. [7] The area is mostly used as a summer residence, to spend holidays [8] or for parties with close officials. [6] The estate has an elaborate garden, set around many lakes. There are numerous guest houses, and a banqueting hall. [9] The whole compound is a maximum security area, surrounded by two armored fence lines [10] with guards huts and checkpoints, clearly visible on satellite pictures.[ citation needed] Kim Jong Il’s former cook Kenji Fujimoto worked and lived in a guest house within the compound and provided some photographs dated 1989. [7] Analysis of satellite pictures showed that the area changed significantly since then and even after 2006 new buildings and a new railway station were established. [11] Defectors reported that in Hyangmok-ri, not far from the residence and from the Mausoleum of Tangun, Kim Jong Un’s birthplace is being built, [12] though he was actually born in Changsong, North Pyongan Province. [13]
Kangdong Residence | |
Chosŏn'gŭl | 강동 관저 |
---|---|
Hancha | |
Revised Romanization | Gangdong Gwanjeo |
McCune–Reischauer | Kangdong Kwanjŏ |
Kangdong Residence [1] is the summer retreat and second major residence of the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un besides Ryongsong Residence. [2]
The residence is located in Kangdong-gun, a suburban county of Pyongyang, around 30 km (19 mi) northeast of Kim Il-sung Square. [3] Taedong River is just 1 km (0.62 mi) to the north. [4] The size of the whole leadership complex is around 4 km2 (1.5 sq mi). According to Kim Jong Il’s former bodyguard Lee Young-kuk there are at least eight North Korean leader’s residences outside Pyongyang. [5]
The compound was constructed in the 1980s and expanded in the 1990s under the order of Kim Jong Il. [6] It contains buildings for Kim Jong Il, his late wife Ko Yong-hui, his sister Kim Kyong-hui and his brother-in-law Jang Sung-taek. [7] The area is mostly used as a summer residence, to spend holidays [8] or for parties with close officials. [6] The estate has an elaborate garden, set around many lakes. There are numerous guest houses, and a banqueting hall. [9] The whole compound is a maximum security area, surrounded by two armored fence lines [10] with guards huts and checkpoints, clearly visible on satellite pictures.[ citation needed] Kim Jong Il’s former cook Kenji Fujimoto worked and lived in a guest house within the compound and provided some photographs dated 1989. [7] Analysis of satellite pictures showed that the area changed significantly since then and even after 2006 new buildings and a new railway station were established. [11] Defectors reported that in Hyangmok-ri, not far from the residence and from the Mausoleum of Tangun, Kim Jong Un’s birthplace is being built, [12] though he was actually born in Changsong, North Pyongan Province. [13]