P'yǒngyang

P'yǒngyang (in Japanese, Heijo), capital city of North Korea, on the Taedong River, in the western section of the country near the Yellow Sea. It is the commercial, manufacturing, administrative, and cultural centre of North Korea. Industrial plants here manufacture metal and rubber items, textiles, processed food, machinery, building materials, armaments, and ceramics. The city is served by a nearby international airport.

Because it has periodically been devastated by war, P'yǒngyang has been rebuilt many times. It is a well-planned modern city with beautiful parks and gardens, and wide avenues lined with large apartment houses. It is the site of Kim II Sung University (1946) and the affiliated Kim Hyong-chik Normal University, Kim Chaek Polytechnic Institute, and P'yǒngyang Medical Institute; the Academy of Sciences (1952); the Central Library; and the P'yǒngyang Theatre. Local landmarks include the remains of the ancient city walls, tombs from the 1st century bc, Buddhist temples, a great bronze statue of a legendary winged horse, the Korean Central Historical Museum, and a fine arts museum.

Reputedly the oldest city in Korea, P'yǒngyang is said to have been established in 1122 bc. It was later the capital of the Koguryǒ dynasty from ad 427 to 668, when it was destroyed by invading Chinese forces. The Japanese held P'yǒngyang in 1592-1593, and the Chinese captured and burned the city in 1627. Many Western Christian missionaries settled here in the late 19th century. The Japanese occupied P'yǒngyang from 1910 to 1945, calling it Heijo, and established numerous industries. In 1948 the city became the capital of North Korea. During the Korean War (1950-1953), P'yǒngyang was occupied by United Nations forces in 1950 but was soon recaptured by Chinese and North Korean troops. The city was rebuilt after 1953. Population 3,228,000 (2003 estimate).