Kim Il-Sung Square was the second site we visited soon after our arrival in North Korea. While Kim Il-Sung Square is incredibly impressive, it is far from the largest in the world. The Chinese, with Tiananmen Square in Beijing, are the current record holders for largest square in the world. Kim Il-Sung Square comes in at a measly #16! Nevertheless, Kim Il-Sung Square still manages to accommodate the Dear Leader’s need for a large area to show off his army’s precision marching capabilities and outdated military hardware.

(Reuters/Xinhua news)

Although we were in Pyongyang for one of North Korea’s biggest holidays (Independence Day), no massive parades were scheduled. And even if there were, we wouldn’t have been allowed to watch them and likely would have been sent off to some mountain resort far from Pyongyang. Apparently U.S. Imperialists just can’t be trusted to see anything.

North Koreans love volleyball, too

Grand People’s Study House

Across the river is the Tower of Juche Idea

Can you spot Marx and Lenin?

Kim Il-Sung (of course)

Schoolchildren

Our guides took us back to the square at night. I think the entire country’s electric generation capacity was being used to light up Kim Il-Sung Square, because the rest of the city was eerily dark.

Related posts:

1. North Korea: U.S. Imperialists wandering around Kim Il-Sung Square Here is the North Korean Tourism DVD clip of us wandering around Kim Il-Sung Square in Pyongyang and taking lots of photos. ...
2. North Korea: Schoolchildren marching on Kim Il-Sung Square in Pyongyang Here’s a short video I shot of some schoolchildren marching and singing their way through Kim Il-Sung Square in Pyongyang. As I don’t speak Korean, I haven’t the slightest idea what they are singing, so if anyone out there does, let me know. ...
3. North Korea: The streets of Pyongyang A few random shots here and there. Ubiquitous propaganda Pyongyang Traffic Girl Another Pyongyang Traffic Girl Building on Kim Il-Sung Square Kim Il-Sung Square. Tower of Juche Idea in the background. Building on Kim Il-Sung Square School children Flags and decorations Pyongyang TV Tower Near the Arch of Triumph....
4. North Korea: The Mansudae Grand Monument to Kim Il-Sung Following an evening of Mass Games, drinking North Korean beer, and exploring our bizarre hotel, we were up bright and early for our first full day of touring Pyongyang. The first stop on our itinerary was the obligatory visit to the Mansudae Grand Monument, a 65 foot bronze statue...
5. North Korea: U.S. Imperialists visit the Mansudae Grand Monument to Kim Il-Sung More footage from our North Korea tour DVD. Here we are at the Mansudae Grand Monument to Kim Il-Sung, where we had to lay flowers and bow in unison. Or attempt to bow in unison, anyways. We kinda screwed it up, as you can see. ...