Ryongsong Residence

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Ryongsong Residence
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Alternative namesResidence No. 55
Central Luxury Mansion
General information
TypePresidential palace
LocationRyongsong District
Town or cityPyongyang
CountryNorth Korea
Current tenantsKim Jong-un
Ri Sol-ju
Completed1983
Design and construction
Main contractorKorean People's Army
Ryongsong Residence
Chosŏn'gŭl
룡성 관저
Hancha
Revised RomanizationYongseong Gwanjeo
McCune–ReischauerRyongsŏng Kwanjŏ

Ryongsong Residence[1] (Korean: 룡성 관저), also called Residence No. 55 (55호 관저)[2] and known by locals as Central Luxury Mansion (주요 고급 저택)[citation needed] is a presidential palace in North Korea and the main residence of North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un and North Korea's First Lady Ri Sol-ju.[3]

Location

The residence is located in Ryongsong District in northern Pyongyang,[4] around 12 km (7.5 mi) northeast of Kim Il-sung Square. The size of the whole leadership complex is around 12 km2 (4.6 sq mi).[5] According to Kim Jong-il's former bodyguard Lee Young-Guk, there are at least eight North Korean leaders' residences outside Pyongyang.[6]

Description

The compound was constructed by a Korean People's Army construction brigade and completed in 1983 under the rule of Kim Il-sung. It was later used by Kim Jong-il, his sister Kim Kyong-hui and his brother-in-law Jang Sung-taek.[7] Since he succeeded his father as leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un has used Ryongsong Residence as his main residence.[3] The complex has an underground wartime headquarters, protected with walls with iron rods and concrete covered with lead in case of a nuclear war.[8] There are numerous military units to protect the headquarters stationed around the complex in possession of mass scale conventional weapons.[7] The area is surrounded by an electric fence, mine fields and many security checkpoints.[9] The headquarters is connected with Changgyong Residence (Residence No. 26) and other residences with tunnels.[8] A private underground train station is also inside the residence compound.[10] Besides large houses[11] and well-tended gardens[12] there are man-made lakes and various recreational facilities. Witnesses have reported luxurious interiors with ornate furnishings, deep plush carpets and fancy chandeliers.[2]

Facilities

Facilities of the residence are as follows:

  • Banquet halls at the lakefront[7]
  • Swimming pool 15 m (49 ft) wide and 50 m (160 ft) long[13] with a giant waterslide[14]
  • Running track and athletic field[2]
  • Spa and sauna
  • Horse stables and riding area
  • Shooting range
  • Horse racing track

See also

References

  1. ^ ‘김정일 저택’ 평양 룡성구역 관저 가능성. DongA Ilbo (in Korean). August 12, 2009. Archived from the original on January 21, 2013. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
  2. ^ a b c Windrem, Robert (June 18, 2010). "Looking down on Kim Jong Il". MSNBC. Archived from the original on October 26, 2006. Retrieved December 12, 2012.)
  3. ^ a b "Kim Jong-il's 'Mt. Ryongnam Range' is succeeded by Kim Jong-un's 'Mt. Ami Range'". Leonid Petrov’s Korea Vision. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
  4. ^ "'Kim Jong-il's House' Spotted on Google Earth". The Chosun Ilbo. August 13, 2009. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
  5. ^ "Elite Areas". North Korean Economy Watch. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
  6. ^ Macintyre, Donald (February 18, 2002). "The Supremo in His Labyrinth". Time Magazine. Archived from the original on June 13, 2010. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
  7. ^ a b c "DPRK Leadership Compound (Residence 22)". Wikimapia. Retrieved December 12, 2012.[user-generated source]
  8. ^ a b Han, Young Jin (March 15, 2005). "Kim Jong Il, Where He Sleeps and Where He Works". DailyNK. Archived from the original on May 16, 2013. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
  9. ^ Krauel, Torsten (November 28, 2010). "Kim Jong-ils Höhlenstaat Nordkorea". Die Welt (in German). Retrieved December 12, 2012.
  10. ^ Lipes, Joshua (August 17, 2009). "Kim's Palaces, via Google Earth". Radio Free Asia. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
  11. ^ Prynne, Miranda (June 21, 2009). "North Korea uncovered: Palaces, labour camps and mass graves". The Independent. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
  12. ^ Brown, Adrian (August 9, 2009). "Satellites uncover North Korea". BBC News. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
  13. ^ "Kim Jong-il's sitting room discovered by Google earth". People’s Daily. August 13, 2009. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
  14. ^ Doyle, Leonard (May 31, 2009). "Leaders live in luxury while North Koreans starve to pay for nuclear bomb". The Telegraph. Retrieved December 12, 2012.

External links

Coordinates: 39°06′59″N 125°48′21″E / 39.116377°N 125.805817°E / 39.116377; 125.805817

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