Put simply, Kim Jong Un would like a missile that can reach the U.S. because the U.S. heavily bombed Pyongyang in 1950. U.S. and South Korean forces then temporarily captured Pyongyang. Much of the city today is what was rebuilt after bombing during the Korean War of 1950-53.
To understand North Korea, and it's capital city, we must first understand the Kim family. The supreme leader of the country after it regained independence with the end of the Second World War, in 1945, was Kim Il-Sung. His photo and statue are all over the country. The entire country used to wear medals, with his photograph on them, every day.
Here is an example of a badge featuring Kim Il-Sung. Notice the symbol in the upper left of the badge. That is the symbol of the Workers Party of Korea. But, unlike the traditional "hammer and sickle" symbol of Communism, representing industry and agriculture, there is a third element in the middle. This third element is a pen, representing the importance of intellectuals in North Korean Communism.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Il-sung_and_Kim_Jong-il_badges#/media/File:WPK_Pin.png
After the death of Kim Il-Sung, in 1994, his son, Kim Jong-Il, became supreme leader.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Jong-il#/media/File:Kimilsungia_and_Kimjongilia.JPG
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Jong-il#/media/File:The_statues_of_Kim_Il_Sung_and_Kim_Jong_Il_on_Mansu_Hill_in_Pyongyang_(april_2012).jpg
.jpg){kind=link}
The present supreme leader of North Korea is the son of Kim Jong-Il, and the grandson of Kim Il-Sung, Kim Jong-Un.
The Geumsusan (also spelled Kumsusan) Palace was where Kim Il-Sung reigned from. It is now a mausoleum of him and his successor and son, Kim Jong-Il who died in 2011, and a museum of their lives.
Over a century ago, Pyongyang was a very Christian city, and notice how the devotion to the Kim Dynasty since the end of the Second World War is a lot like a religion. Especially notice how the following statue in the mausoleum looks like something that might be seen in a Catholic church.
Since most of what is seen in Pyongyang today is what was rebuilt relatively recently, after the Korean War, I decided to conduct our visit simply by geography, rather than by history. Let's start at the northern end of Pyongyang, and proceed southward. Here is the former palace of Kim Il-Sung, in the northern part of the city, that is now a mausoleum and museum of him and his son.
There are multiple scenes following. To see the scenes, after the first one, you must first click the up arrow, ^, before you can move on to the next scene by clicking the right or forward arrow, >. After clicking the up arrow, you can hide the previews of successive scenes, if you wish.
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0657806,125.7882309,3a,75y,68.9h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1s-wlQJR8n8Hco%2FWN78K8bM9GI%2FAAAAAAAAAiE%2FEfD8cZsBXc88JHs0KW_lBH86z2r5mt8FACLIB!2e4!3e11!6s%2F%2Flh4.googleusercontent.com%2F-wlQJR8n8Hco%2FWN78K8bM9GI%2FAAAAAAAAAiE%2FEfD8cZsBXc88JHs0KW_lBH86z2r5mt8FACLIB%2Fw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya268.56824-ro0-fo100%2F!7i8704!8i4352
Not far from the mausoleum is Kim Il-Sung University.
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0584603,125.7679701,3a,75y,181h,76t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1s-B05UrtpTvz0%2FVay0SkYxsLI%2FAAAAAAAAaM4%2FmFf6LyZD6S8mlmKyZCTghqoCn76f6gQegCJkC!2e4!3e11!6s%2F%2Flh6.googleusercontent.com%2F-B05UrtpTvz0%2FVay0SkYxsLI%2FAAAAAAAAaM4%2FmFf6LyZD6S8mlmKyZCTghqoCn76f6gQegCJkC%2Fw203-h100-k-no-pi-14.999992-ya1.4999915-ro-0-fo100%2F!7i5656!8i2828
Close to the Mausoleum and University of Kim Il-Sung is the May Day Stadium, remember that the first day of May is a holiday for Communists and Socialists. Remember also that the symbol of North Korean communism has the pen of the intellectual included with the hammer and sickle.
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0496636,125.7742543,3a,75y,79h,88t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1s-WCmlB2Ix-rE%2FVUcq86kFDFI%2FAAAAAAAAXJI%2F7JxTlUx9nuwnErrFnORSlQik1ofnwsz5ACJkC!2e4!3e11!6s%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2F-WCmlB2Ix-rE%2FVUcq86kFDFI%2FAAAAAAAAXJI%2F7JxTlUx9nuwnErrFnORSlQik1ofnwsz5ACJkC%2Fw203-h100-k-no-pi-2.9999962-ya79.5-ro0-fo100%2F!7i2508!8i1254
Moving southward through the city, we come to the Arch of Triumph. This is actually a little bit larger then the one in Paris, and remembers the end of occupation by Japan in 1945. The arch is located close to the Kim Il-Sung Stadium of Ideals.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arch_of_Triumph_(Pyongyang)#/media/File%3AArch-of-Triumph-2014.jpg
#/media/File%3AArch-of-Triumph-2014.jpg){kind=link}
Two structures that will often be seen in the background in photos of Pyongyang is first, the Pyongyang Television Tower, which has an observation deck and revolving restaurant.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyongyang_TV_Tower#/media/File:Pyongyang_TV_Tower_01.JPG
And second, the Ryugyong Hotel. This is the structure that is over 100 stories tall and shaped like a sharp pyramid. It was begun in the 1980s, but reports are that economics has prevented it from being completed.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryugyong_Hotel#/media/File:Ryugyong_Hotel_-_August_27,_2011_(Cropped).jpg
.jpg){kind=link}
In 1968, fifteen years after the Korean War had ended, the North Koreans managed to capture a U.S. Navy intelligence-gathering ship, the U.S.S. Pueblo. The crew was eventually released, but the ship was kept as a war trophy and is now at anchor in Pyongyang, next to the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum. The following scenes begin on board the Pueblo.
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0405327,125.7398112,3a,75y,68.61h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1s-Yk7wV7DbFwU%2FV7zwbSE8H4I%2FAAAAAAAAdOU%2Fc9Rt5c4i9XUci6BShfkQI7fzIHkNgMJsQCLIB!2e4!3e11!6s%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2F-Yk7wV7DbFwU%2FV7zwbSE8H4I%2FAAAAAAAAdOU%2Fc9Rt5c4i9XUci6BShfkQI7fzIHkNgMJsQCLIB%2Fw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya63.23275-ro-0-fo100%2F!7i5376!8i2688
Proceeding generally southward, we come to the Mansu Hill Grand Monument. There are monuments here of Kim Il-Sung, and his successor son Kim Jong-Il, that we saw above, and also the Socialist Revolution Monument.
Nearby is the legislative building, the Supreme People's Assembly. The large building at the top of the hill is the Korean Revolution Museum. One scene, with the statue of Kim Il-Sung holding his arm aloft, is incorrectly labeled as being in Kim Il-Sung Square, although the square is not very far away.
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.032644,125.7538602,3a,75y,67.43h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1s-oJFtncp-EyQ%2FWPCd8WU1glI%2FAAAAAAAAPCY%2FRJZkvBtdtKkGKFdQjJdFyURWeQIxSozwQCLIB!2e4!3e11!6s%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2F-oJFtncp-EyQ%2FWPCd8WU1glI%2FAAAAAAAAPCY%2FRJZkvBtdtKkGKFdQjJdFyURWeQIxSozwQCLIB%2Fw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya158.84486-ro-0-fo100%2F!7i8704!8i4352
On the east bank of the Taedong River is the Ideals of the North Korean Workers' Party Monument. Remember, again, that the North Korean symbol for Communism has the pen of the intellectual added to the hammer and sickle.
Notice something interesting. The long promenade is aligned so that it seems to lead to the Korean Revolution Museum, which is actually on the opposite side of the river. Then, the mountain-shaped Ryugyong Hotel has been placed so that the alignment continues to it.
Paris couldn't have arranged this any better. Just as there is the Historical Axis of Paris, why not call this the Alignment of Pyongyang?
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0281181,125.7750785,3a,75y,214h,88t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1s-eXvAOayBWWQ%2FUhN1JLBrRgI%2FAAAAAAAAACs%2FZN-WLGqJouIY4t3rfuisDJKZF-MdzrxdQCJkC!2e4!3e11!6s%2F%2Flh4.googleusercontent.com%2F-eXvAOayBWWQ%2FUhN1JLBrRgI%2FAAAAAAAAACs%2FZN-WLGqJouIY4t3rfuisDJKZF-MdzrxdQCJkC%2Fw203-h100-k-no-pi-2.9999962-ya214.5-ro0-fo100%2F!7i4000!8i2000
A prominent landmark in central Pyongyang is the Juche Tower. The principle of Juche means "self-reliance".
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juche_Tower#/media/File%3ATower_of_Juche_Idea%2C_Pyongyang%2C_North_Korea_(2909246855).jpg
Across the Taedong River from the Juche Tower is Kim Il-Sung Square. The building with the green roof is a library, the Grand People's Study House. Government buildings are around Kim Il-Sung Square.
This alignment of a square or promenade with a monument on the other side of the river is done exactly the same way with the Juche Tower as the Ideals of the North Korean Workers' Party Monument and the Korean Revolution Museum, as described above. Doesn't the way that Kim Il-Sung Square is across the river from the Juche Tower also remind you of the viewing garden across the river from the Taj Mahal, that we saw in the visit, "My View Of The Taj Mahal"?
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0194608,125.7535511,3a,75y,61.16h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1s-7kUI7sA_avc%2FVcs1bzIh3oI%2FAAAAAAAAaU0%2FAdNQ_h5TylQRANf4aXLaWMYfdSZQWlVBQCJkC!2e4!3e11!6s%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2F-7kUI7sA_avc%2FVcs1bzIh3oI%2FAAAAAAAAaU0%2FAdNQ_h5TylQRANf4aXLaWMYfdSZQWlVBQCJkC%2Fw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya234.67354-ro-0-fo100%2F!7i5656!8i2828
Other than a few government offices, North Koreans cannot access the outside internet. A special intranet, with several thousand web sites, has been set up for the people by the government. Here is a computer room in the Grand People's Study House.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_People%27s_Study_House#/media/File:Grand-Peoples-Study-House-Computer-Lab.jpg
You may notice that there are not many cars in Pyongyang. But it is known for it's very efficient metro system. The following scenes begin in the subway, in Yonggwan Station. As you might expect, there are murals of Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il.
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0079235,125.7345852,3a,75y,28h,83t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1s-7SP5PFdiANc%2FV_NF4paUM7I%2FAAAAAAAAv_s%2Fy7k_M9UGmlwYzLbX9L41_nhi1P0tD7GygCJkC!2e4!3e11!6s%2F%2Flh4.googleusercontent.com%2F-7SP5PFdiANc%2FV_NF4paUM7I%2FAAAAAAAAv_s%2Fy7k_M9UGmlwYzLbX9L41_nhi1P0tD7GygCJkC%2Fw203-h100-k-no-pi-7-ya113.5-ro-0-fo100%2F!7i8704!8i4352
Moving toward the outside of the city, this is the Mangyongdae Children's Palace.
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0150375,125.6577911,3a,75y,72.73h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1s-e4oe3Q372Ps%2FWOJpBTygJ8I%2FAAAAAAAAAnw%2FV6BLmHV1JsYZaeOteqmn2LzvV0-BQGFtACLIB!2e4!3e11!6s%2F%2Flh3.googleusercontent.com%2F-e4oe3Q372Ps%2FWOJpBTygJ8I%2FAAAAAAAAAnw%2FV6BLmHV1JsYZaeOteqmn2LzvV0-BQGFtACLIB%2Fw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya313.18695-ro0-fo100%2F!7i8704!8i4352
In the south of Pyongyang, there is the Science and Technology Center. The entire museum is shaped like an atom.
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.9883003,125.7139816,3a,75y,316h,88t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1s-OmVDMDyzOfg%2FWOJnlNABJTI%2FAAAAAAAAAnk%2FXQoxnFipvVELRDILunbYUIqdqw1TzVsWgCLIB!2e4!3e11!6s%2F%2Flh4.googleusercontent.com%2F-OmVDMDyzOfg%2FWOJnlNABJTI%2FAAAAAAAAAnk%2FXQoxnFipvVELRDILunbYUIqdqw1TzVsWgCLIB%2Fw203-h100-k-no-pi-2.9338646-ya115.500015-ro-0-fo100%2F!7i8704!8i4352
Finally, in the southern part of Pyongyang is the Reunification Arch. Kim Il-Sung had plans to bring North and South Korea back together.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arch_of_Reunification#/media/File:Monument-to-National-Reunification-2014.jpg
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.032644,125.7538602,3a,75y,67.43h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1s-oJFtncp-EyQ%2FWPCd8WU1glI%2FAAAAAAAAPCY%2FRJZkvBtdtKkGKFdQjJdFyURWeQIxSozwQCLIB!2e4!3e11!6s%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2F-oJFtncp-EyQ%2FWPCd8WU1glI%2FAAAAAAAAPCY%2FRJZkvBtdtKkGKFdQjJdFyURWeQIxSozwQCLIB%2Fw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya158.84486-ro-0-fo100%2F!7i8704!8i4352
On the east bank of the Taedong River is the Ideals of the North Korean Workers' Party Monument. Remember, again, that the North Korean symbol for Communism has the pen of the intellectual added to the hammer and sickle.
Notice something interesting. The long promenade is aligned so that it seems to lead to the Korean Revolution Museum, which is actually on the opposite side of the river. Then, the mountain-shaped Ryugyong Hotel has been placed so that the alignment continues to it.
Paris couldn't have arranged this any better. Just as there is the Historical Axis of Paris, why not call this the Alignment of Pyongyang?
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0281181,125.7750785,3a,75y,214h,88t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1s-eXvAOayBWWQ%2FUhN1JLBrRgI%2FAAAAAAAAACs%2FZN-WLGqJouIY4t3rfuisDJKZF-MdzrxdQCJkC!2e4!3e11!6s%2F%2Flh4.googleusercontent.com%2F-eXvAOayBWWQ%2FUhN1JLBrRgI%2FAAAAAAAAACs%2FZN-WLGqJouIY4t3rfuisDJKZF-MdzrxdQCJkC%2Fw203-h100-k-no-pi-2.9999962-ya214.5-ro0-fo100%2F!7i4000!8i2000
A prominent landmark in central Pyongyang is the Juche Tower. The principle of Juche means "self-reliance".
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juche_Tower#/media/File%3ATower_of_Juche_Idea%2C_Pyongyang%2C_North_Korea_(2909246855).jpg
.jpg){kind=link}
Across the Taedong River from the Juche Tower is Kim Il-Sung Square. The building with the green roof is a library, the Grand People's Study House. Government buildings are around Kim Il-Sung Square.
This alignment of a square or promenade with a monument on the other side of the river is done exactly the same way with the Juche Tower as the Ideals of the North Korean Workers' Party Monument and the Korean Revolution Museum, as described above. Doesn't the way that Kim Il-Sung Square is across the river from the Juche Tower also remind you of the viewing garden across the river from the Taj Mahal, that we saw in the visit, "My View Of The Taj Mahal"?
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0194608,125.7535511,3a,75y,61.16h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1s-7kUI7sA_avc%2FVcs1bzIh3oI%2FAAAAAAAAaU0%2FAdNQ_h5TylQRANf4aXLaWMYfdSZQWlVBQCJkC!2e4!3e11!6s%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2F-7kUI7sA_avc%2FVcs1bzIh3oI%2FAAAAAAAAaU0%2FAdNQ_h5TylQRANf4aXLaWMYfdSZQWlVBQCJkC%2Fw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya234.67354-ro-0-fo100%2F!7i5656!8i2828
Other than a few government offices, North Koreans cannot access the outside internet. A special intranet, with several thousand web sites, has been set up for the people by the government. Here is a computer room in the Grand People's Study House.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_People%27s_Study_House#/media/File:Grand-Peoples-Study-House-Computer-Lab.jpg
You may notice that there are not many cars in Pyongyang. But it is known for it's very efficient metro system. The following scenes begin in the subway, in Yonggwan Station. As you might expect, there are murals of Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il.
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0079235,125.7345852,3a,75y,28h,83t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1s-7SP5PFdiANc%2FV_NF4paUM7I%2FAAAAAAAAv_s%2Fy7k_M9UGmlwYzLbX9L41_nhi1P0tD7GygCJkC!2e4!3e11!6s%2F%2Flh4.googleusercontent.com%2F-7SP5PFdiANc%2FV_NF4paUM7I%2FAAAAAAAAv_s%2Fy7k_M9UGmlwYzLbX9L41_nhi1P0tD7GygCJkC%2Fw203-h100-k-no-pi-7-ya113.5-ro-0-fo100%2F!7i8704!8i4352
Moving toward the outside of the city, this is the Mangyongdae Children's Palace.
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0150375,125.6577911,3a,75y,72.73h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1s-e4oe3Q372Ps%2FWOJpBTygJ8I%2FAAAAAAAAAnw%2FV6BLmHV1JsYZaeOteqmn2LzvV0-BQGFtACLIB!2e4!3e11!6s%2F%2Flh3.googleusercontent.com%2F-e4oe3Q372Ps%2FWOJpBTygJ8I%2FAAAAAAAAAnw%2FV6BLmHV1JsYZaeOteqmn2LzvV0-BQGFtACLIB%2Fw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya313.18695-ro0-fo100%2F!7i8704!8i4352
In the south of Pyongyang, there is the Science and Technology Center. The entire museum is shaped like an atom.
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.9883003,125.7139816,3a,75y,316h,88t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1s-OmVDMDyzOfg%2FWOJnlNABJTI%2FAAAAAAAAAnk%2FXQoxnFipvVELRDILunbYUIqdqw1TzVsWgCLIB!2e4!3e11!6s%2F%2Flh4.googleusercontent.com%2F-OmVDMDyzOfg%2FWOJnlNABJTI%2FAAAAAAAAAnk%2FXQoxnFipvVELRDILunbYUIqdqw1TzVsWgCLIB%2Fw203-h100-k-no-pi-2.9338646-ya115.500015-ro-0-fo100%2F!7i8704!8i4352
Finally, in the southern part of Pyongyang is the Reunification Arch. Kim Il-Sung had plans to bring North and South Korea back together.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arch_of_Reunification#/media/File:Monument-to-National-Reunification-2014.jpg
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