What to See in Korea before the H-Bomb Explodes (and Blows Us All Sky High)

Do you remember how, when you were little, you used to play with action figures? Well, there are some people over 30 who still play with them, except on a grander scale, leading armies and experimenting with bombs. Yes, Kim Jong-un, we’re talking about you.
So before our beloved North Korean leader has a bad day and decides to press the red button, we invite you to discover everything there is to do in North Korea before the H-bomb explodes.

Glory to the leader, his father and his father’s father

High atop Mansu Hill in Pyongyang stands the Monument to Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, the grandfather and father of Kim Jong-un. In addition to finding ourselves in the presence of a convoluted tongue-twister, we also find ourselves before two immense bronze statues, visited by hundreds of North Koreans each day, who come to pay their respects to the fathers of their country.
You are allowed to approach them to take photos (which must include both statues), but don’t even think about touching them or else you’ll end up spending a few days in a comfy dungeon for insubordination.

Photo by calflier001 (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The next stop on the megalomaniacal tour is the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where you’ll find a Mausoleum dedicated to the father and grandfather of the leader, the latter of which has been dubbed the Eternal President of the Republic. Each one lies in his own clear glass sarcophagus, like Show White waiting for Prince Charming. The compound is open to visitors on Thursdays and Sundays, but no cameras are allowed, lest you give in to the temptation of taking a selfie with one of these magnanimous figures.

Photo by D-Stanley (CC BY 2.0)

The Arch of Reunification

The reunification that never came, that is. This concrete mass was erected to commemorate the Korean reunification proposals put forward by Kim Il-sung. But have you ever seen the two countries agree on anything? Neither have I. So there it is, aimlessly crossing the Pyongyang-Kaesong Motorway with nothing to stop you from posting a photo of it to your Instagram account, but only once you get home, because in this country, internet access is prohibited.

Photo by D-Stanley (CC BY 2.0)

Juche Tower, the light of the city

This 170-metre high illuminated obelisk lights up the bay of the River Taedong. It is always lit, as it symbolizes the strength of the regimen, and for your purposes, it will serve as a handy landmark to prevent you from getting lost amid the streets of the North Korean capital.

Photo by Comrade Anatolii (CC BY-ND 2.0)