P’yŏngyang

P’yŏngyang, capital of North Korea, on the Taedong River, in the western section of the country, near the Yellow Sea. It is the principal commercial, manufacturing, administration, and cultural center of North Korea. Major products include metal and rubber items, textiles, processed food, machinery, building materials, armaments, and ceramics. The city is served by a nearby international airport.

Because it has periodically been devastated by war, P’yŏngyang has been rebuilt many times and is presently a well-planned modern city with beautiful parks and gardens and wide avenues lined with large apartment houses. It is the site of Kim Il Sung University (1946) and the affiliated Kim Hyong-chik Normal University, Kim Chaek Polytechnic Institute, and P’yŏngyang Medical Institute; the Academy of Sciences (1952); the Central Library; and the P’yŏngyang Theater. Points of interest include the remains of the ancient city walls, tombs from the 1st century bc, Buddhist temples, a great bronze statue of a horse of Korean legend, the Korean Central Historical Museum, and a fine arts museum.

Reputedly the oldest city in Korea, P’yŏngyang is said to have been established in 1122 bc. It later was the capital of the Koguryŏ (Goguryeo) dynasty from ad 427 to 668, when it was destroyed by invading Chinese forces. The Japanese held P’yŏngyang in 1592-1593, and the Chinese captured and burned the city in 1627. Many Western Christian missionaries settled here in the late 19th century. The Japanese occupied P’yŏngyang during 1910-1945, calling it Heijō, and established numerous industries. In 1948 the city became the capital of North Korea. During the Korean War (1950-1953), P’yŏngyang was occupied by United Nations forces in 1950 but was soon recaptured by Chinese and North Korean troops. The city was rebuilt after 1953. Population (1999 estimate) 3,136,000.