PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) — Along with its towering monuments to socialism, bronze statues of its leaders and sprawling plazas for mass political gatherings and military parades, North Korea’s showcase capital is a city of parks.
To be sure, daily life in Pyongyang is filled with the many duties of work, school and mandatory community service. But even in Pyongyang, people need a place to relax and unwind. With the heat and humidity of the Pyongyang summer now setting in, one of the most popular is Moranbong — Moran Hill — just a short walk from Pyongyang’s Kim Il Sung Square and famous for its shady walking paths, vistas of the city and grassy fields.
Crowded with couples at night and families on weekends, the park on a typical summer afternoon is used by schoolchildren practicing musical instruments, retirees playing chess or sharing stories, and young artists painting landscapes. At the bottom of the hill are stalls selling popsicles, chips and cold drinks.
Like most other landmarks in Pyongyang, it does have a political side.
Moran Hill is closely associated with the history of North Korea’s first president, Kim Il Sung, and his son, Kim Jong Il. An all-girl pop group that is all the rage in North Korea these days — yes, North Korea has one — even bears the district’s name.
Hand-picked by North Korea’s young leader, Kim Jong Un, it’s called the Moranbong Band.
___
AP photographers and photo editors on Twitter: http://apne.ws/1ox8vgG
North Korean students practice playing their musical instruments at the Moranbong or Moran Hill, Thursday, July 31, 2014, in Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)
A North Korean couple walk along the footpath at the Moranbong or Moran Hill, Thursday, July 31, 2014, in Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)
A North Korean boy sits on a rock as he sketches at the Moranbong or Moran Hill in Pyongyang, North Korea, Thursday, July 31, 2014. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)
North Korean boys climb a tree at the Moranbong or Moran Hill in Pyongyang, North Korea, Thursday, July 31, 2014. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)
North Korean students practice Taekwondo at the Moranbong or Moran Hill in Pyongyang, North Korea, Thursday, July 31, 2014. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)
A watercolor painting of the landscape at the Moranbong or Moran Hill is left to dry while a North Korean girl continues with her own painting, Thursday, July 31, 2014 in Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)
Men carrying their watercolor artwork walk the Moranbong or Moran Hill, Thursday, July 31, 2014, in Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)
Elderly North Korean men relax in the shade of trees at the Moranbong or Moran Hill, Thursday, July 31, 2014, in Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)
A North Korean student is silhouetted against the sky as he practices Taekwondo at the Moranbong or Moran Hill, Thursday, July 31, 2014, in Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)
North Korean students practice playing their musical instruments at the Moranbong or Moran Hill, Thursday, July 31, 2014 in Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)
Post a Comment