Introducing Hoeryong

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Hoeryong is a riverside town located in the North-East of North Hamgyong province, and therefore in the north-east of the DPRK.

It is located opposite Jilin, China, and hosts a vital border crossing between North Korea and China. Young Pioneer Tours were the first (link) company to cross this border!

The River Tumen separates it from China, and at specific points of our borderlands tour you can witness magnificent views of the city.

It is one of the oldest Korean cities on both sides of the Korean peninsula and is most famous for being the hometown of the First Lady of the DPRK Mother Kim Jong-Suk.

What is the economy of Hoeryong?

Hoeryong is one of the most important places for mining in North Korea, which much of what is mined here being transporting by rail to places such as Chongjin or Hamhung to be processed.

It is also connected by rail to China and has been a route of choice for various visits by North Korean leaders to China. If you genuinely want to get your geek on about the North Korean train system, check out this blog.

What is there to do in Hoeryong?

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While not a major tourist city for foreigners, tourists certainly can and do visit here with our borderlands trip also offering a glance over at the city.

Much of the famous historical sites here are based around Mother Kim Jong Suk, wife of President Kim Il Sung, and mother of Generalissimo Kim Il Sung, the first two leaders of the country.

She was born in the city in 1917 to poor parents, and during the brutal colonial rule of Korea by Japan, before fleeing in search of her father, and eventually joined the guerrilla army of Kim Il Sung.

She died in 1949 and is now buried at the Revolutionary Martyrs Cemetery in Pyongyang, where you can see her at the summit.

Most of the sites in the city and related to her life and role in the revolutionary struggles of early North Korea.

Kim Jong Suk’s Home

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Located in the city, and a straightforward affair, showing how poor the family was during colonial rule. A few unique utensils remain from this era.

Revolutionary Museum of Comrade Kim Jong Suk

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Displays relics and artifacts in 16 showrooms extolling the life and revolutionary achievements of Kim Jong Suk. It originally opened to tourists in 1974 and has been periodically updated since.

Manyang Ferry

The ferry used by Comrade Kim Jong Suk that she crossed the River Tumen in April 1922 (Juche 11). The boat and a monument are on the site.

Outside of Hoeryong

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When staying in Hoeryong, it is possible to Onsong country and the various historical sites related to President Kim Il Sung, scubas the Turubong Revolutionary site, and Wangjaesan Revolutionary Museum.

Hotels in Hoeryong

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Less hotels and more hotel. The Hoeryong Hotel is situated at Nammun Dong, has four floors, and 34 rooms (2 of which are deluxe).

A very pleasant and standard North Korean hotel, featuring a restaurant, and off course good old billiards!

So, that is our all-encompassing guide to travel to Hoeryong, we hope you enjoyed it enough to book a tour here.