News

   Greeting the new year 2020, the Pyongyang Ice Sculpture Festival 2020 was held at Kim Il Sung Square from December 31, Juche 108 (2019) to January 2, Juche 109 (2020) in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

   Exhibited were more than 70 ice sculptures of various themes, floodlighted by varicoloured illuminations.

   Among the sculptures were those portraying the national symbols such as pine tree, goshawk, the dog Phungsan, magnolia, and monumental structures including the Arch of Triumph and Okryu Restaurant, and the newly-built city of Samjiyon, Yangdok Hot Spring Resort, Jungphyong Vegetable Greenhouse Farm and Tree Nursery. The sculptures showcased the appearance of the DPRK, which is taking a new appearance morning and evening.

   The venue was a sea of crowds filled with joy and optimism; children were feeling with their hands the floodlighted sculptures and foreign tourists were posing for photograph with Koreans with the sculptures as a background.

   The festival left a meaningful memory on the visitors and gave them confidence in the bright future.

   Greeting the new year 2020, a characteristic artistic performance was given on Kim Il Sung Square in the centre of Pyongyang on the New Year’s Eve.

   Many Pyongyangites and foreign tourists flooded into the square, which was decorated for the holiday.

   With the steam of breath of tens of thousands of people forming varicoloured mists by illuminations, the square presented a fantastic scene.

   Famous artistes and teachers and schoolchildren of the art educational institutes, participating in the performance which was divided into two parts, crowned the last night of the old year with beautiful and graceful artistic portrayal, and enthusiastic movement of the performers and audience who were sharing feelings charged the atmosphere with excitement.

   At 00:00 hours the bell tolled signaling the start of the new year, and the atmosphere reached its climax with fireworks set off and shout of joy of the people in the square.

   Amid the fantastic display of fireworks, drones depicted the number 2020 as well as celebration letters and pictures.

   The performance continued on the square, bringing the atmosphere to a crescendo.

   Though the prom was over, the atmosphere in the square was still warm with impressive scenes of people not leaving the place easily but having photos taken.

   The prom left beautiful memories and lingering effect on the people greeting the new year.

   In these days, the Korea International Travel Company is offering sightseeing tours of Pyongyang on such public transports as tramcars, trolleybuses and subway trains.

   On December 31, 2019, tourists, on a trolleybus manufactured by Koreans in the 1960s, made a tour of the central streets in Pyongyang like Sungni Street and Kaeson Street.

   It is a great honour for me to visit the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, said Australian tourist Hu Ghes Steven Bradley, aged 42, who joined the tour.

   He continued: I have come to the DPRK on the occasion of the New Year’s Day to see and listen more about it in person; these are my twin sons and actually I have made this trip for their birthday, to celebrate it in the DPRK; I was told and read a lot about the DPRK on radio and newspaper, but I wanted to show my sons its reality.

   During their stay, the tourists saw the new year performance and went to the Pyongyang Ice Sculpture Festival 2020, which gave them great pleasure. They also visited Nampho, Kaesong and other local tourist attractions.

   Court Christian Loyd, a British tourist aged 55, after seeing the New Year performance and fireworks display reflecting the emotions of the Korean people who greeted the new year 2020 with fresh hopes and ambitions, expressed his excited feelings: I visit the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea for the first time; New Year’s Eve was very pleasant; I am very happy that I had a good time with your people on the square; I was fascinated to see thousands of young people greeting the new year in a festive mood and fireworks set off with the first sound of the bell in the new year; I think last night was the most pleasant one in my life and I am very happy to have a fascinating start of my tour of Korea.

   Geffroy Thibault Yves Marie, a French tourist aged 29, expressing his feelings of the unforgettable moment when greeted the new year on    Kim Il Sung Square, said: My best wishes to the Korean people greeting the new year; thank you for warmly welcoming us; see you again. 

   Alsayed Sultan Hassan H, a Saudi Arabian tourist aged 23, said he would not forget the Ice Sculpture Festival and new year performance which took place in the atmosphere of celebration and continued: “Hi, My name is Alsayed Sultan Hassan H. I am now in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. I enjoyed fireworks display on Kim Il Sung Square. A happy new year.”

   The New Year Performance for 2020 and Pyongyang Ice Sculpture Festival 2020 gave indelible impression and good memory to the tourists, enabling to make a fascinating start of their tour.

   When the people of the West drank hot spring water, the people in the East bathed their bodies in the water as a therapy. The Korean people have applied this therapy for thousands of years.

   Younger brothers of King Sochon of Koguryo went to a spa on the excuse of illness and enjoyed themselves there: King Onjo of Paekje named a region Thangjong for there was a hot spring and had a walled town built there; kings of Silla recuperated at the Tongnae Hot Spring; these historical records show that spa therapy was popular already in the period of the Three Kingdoms. 

   Poems in the period of Koryo describe that many people enjoyed spa bathing. In the period of the feudal Joson dynasty investigation of hot spring areas was undertaken, and new spa therapies were studied. 

   There are more than 60 spa areas in different scenic areas of Korea; typical of them are the Sokthang Spa, Hwangjin Spa, Jongdal Spa, Kyongsong Spa, Kumgangsan Spa, Paektu Spa and Ongjin Spa.

   Recently a modern hot spring resort was built in the Yangdok area with beautiful mountains, fresh water and good terrain features for the promotion of health and cultural and emotional life of the people. 

   The Mirim Riding Club, situated in a suburb of Pyongyang, is a equestrian service facility covering an area of 644 600㎡. It has all the conditions and environment necessary for equestrian sports and education, including riding tracks, indoor training grounds, a riding knowledge learning area, relaxation house and veterinary hospital.

   The moment you arrive at the club through the gatepost portraying a horse running with four goofs and a rider, you will feel as if you are inside the mother nature with a dramatic harmony of natural and modern beauty.

   The riding tracks of the oval form with 1 750-metre earth-sand track and 1 850-metre lawn track spread along the uniquely styled buildings, and the earth-sand track is covered with sand mixed with salt so that the rider would not get hurt after falling from the horse back.

   The club looks like a garden or forest and all the buildings are decorated with the logs to match the natural scene. The area around man-made falls and lakes resembles a scenic spot, and arouses pastoral sentiment with a large tent for relaxation in the area. 

   Tourists can see various kinds of horses like Orlov, Sarabred, Hanover, Holsteiner and Trakmer and even ride them.

   They can see amateurs enthusiastically learning horse riding, starting from holding on the reins, and practising equestrian skills with the kind help of the attendants at the indoor training grounds, and the riders spurring the horses at the outdoor training grounds. 

   They can also have a good time in the riding knowledge learning area and relaxation house equipped with sports facilities and massage machines. 

   And any of them can join the Equestrian Association of the DPRK and visit the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea at a convenient time to show their equestrian skills. 

   Every year in spring and autumn equestrian games for amateurs hosted by the association take place at the club amid great expectations and interest of riding fans. 

   Tourists can enjoy themselves riding horses well-known throughout the world, learning how to ride, practising equestrian skills and playing games, and feel the attraction of the tour of Korea through the unique experiences at the club.