Located in Mangyongdae District, just on the outskirts of Pyongyang, is a traditional-style Korean house where President Kim Il Sung was born on April 15th, 1912 – or as it’s known in North Korea, ‘Juche 1’. This is one of the most sacred sites in the DPRK and an essential place that all local Koreans will visit at some point in their life.

A quintessential stop on pretty much every standard-length DPRK tour, this site gives visitors a unique insight into the early life of President Kim Il Sung and his family’s background.

Absolutely beautiful in the summer and fall, every visit to the site starts with a walk through the beautiful Mangyongdae Park before arriving at the birthplace of Kim Il Sung, which is in pristine condition.

Mangyongdae Native House

What looks like a few unassuming straw huts actually has quite a lot of history and legends to go along with it. To the backdrop of the song “Nostalgia”, which plays on a loop at Mangyondae Native House (Written by President Kim Il Sung himself), a local guide greets visitors and gives them an introduction to this historical site. Going through the site is a unique experience as the local guides explain about all the belongings that have been perfectly preserved.

Among the highlights is a straw mat that Kim Il Sung used upon his return from fighting in Manchuria. One of the huts also contains a series of portraits. These are the portraits of Kim Il Sung’s extended family, including his cousin, brother and father who all passed away in the Anti-Japanese Struggle.

Visit Mangyongdae yourself!

For those interested in the history of the DPRK, Mangyongdae Native House is an essential stop on tour. Come see it for yourself this summer with YPT on one of our North Korea group tours. Of course, if none of our dates work for you, it is possible to arrange Independent travel to North Korea at any time. Please click here to contact us for more information.