Kim Il Sung Stadium
Kim Il Sung Stadium (Korean: 김일성경기장) is a multi-purpose stadium located in Pyongyang, the capital city of North Korea. The stadium is used primarily for association football matches.
 Kim Il-sung Stadium from the west | |
| Former names | Kirimri Stadium Moranbong Stadium |
|---|---|
| Location | Pyongyang, North Korea |
| Coordinates | 39°2′37.4″N 125°45′27.7″E |
| Public transit |  Chǒllima: Kaesŏn |
| Capacity | 50,000 |
| Surface | Artificial turf, running tracks |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1926 (original) 1969 (current) |
| Renovated | 1982 |
| Tenants | |
| North Korea national football team North Korea women's national football team Football clubs based in Pyongyang | |
| Kim Il Sung Stadium | |
| Chosŏn'gŭl | 김일성경기장 |
|---|---|
| Hancha | 金日成競技場 |
| Revised Romanization | Gim Il-seong Gyeonggijang |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kim Il-sŏng Kyŏnggijang |
History
Kim Il Sung Stadium was originally named the Girimri Stadium (기림리공설운동장) in 1926.[1] This stadium held the annual Kyung-Pyong Football Match between Kyungsung FC and Pyongyang FC during the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s.
After the division of Korea, it was used as a venue for speeches by politicians. On 14 October 1945,[2] it was the site of Kim Il Sung's victory speech after the liberation of Pyongyang,[3][2] called "Every Effort for the Building of a New Democratic Korea."[2]
Most of the stadium was destroyed during the 1950-1953 Korean War, mostly by U.S. aerial bombing of the capital city during those years. Rebuilt in 1969, it was then called Moranbong Stadium, but in April 1982 it was renovated and renamed in honour of Kim Il Sung. It is used mainly for football matches, and until the 1990s hosted the mass games (now held in Rungnado May Day Stadium).
Present day
Today, the Kim Il Sung stadium is used as the home ground for the North Korea national football team, the North Korea women's national football team and the Pyongyang City Sports Club and Kigwancha Sports Club.
In 2008, on two occasions, a 2010 World Cup qualifying match between North and South Korea, due to be played in Pyongyang, had to be moved to Shanghai when authorities in the North refused to allow the South Korean national anthem to be played in Kim Il Sung Stadium, or the flag of South Korea to be flown, as North and South Korea have never granted each other formal diplomatic recognition.[4]
The start and finish of the annual Pyongyang Marathon occurs at Kim Il Sung Stadium.[5]
References
- "平壤府運動塲(평양부운동장) 明日(명일)부터開塲(개장)". Dong-A Ilbo. 23 September 1926.
- Dae-Sook Suh (1981). Korean communism, 1945–1980: a reference guide to the political system. University Press of Hawaii. p. 27. ISBN 978-0-8248-0740-5. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
- Mintjens, Ronny (2013). A Journey through North Korea. Trafford Publishing. p. 55. ISBN 978-1-4907-0176-9.
- "Clash of North and South Koreas ends all square", The Telegraph, 10 September 2008
- Robert Willoughby: North Korea 2nd ed. Bradt Travel Guides, 2008
Further reading
External links
- Kim Il-Sung Stadium photo at WorldStadiums.com
- Kim Il-Sung Stadium on Google Maps
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