hottest tourist spots

KUMGANGSAN

Kumgangsan is the second-tallest mountain in North Korea, its highest peak Pirobong is 1638 meters. The area is famed for its scenic beauty, and 1998 became the first and only part of North Korea that can be visited on organized tours from the South. The millionth visitor arrived in July 2005.

PYONGYANG

North Korea's capital, Pyongyang, was completely rebuilt after the Korean War as a city of wide avenues, neatly designed parks and enormous marble public buildings, leading to its alternative name of the 'youthful city'. The Palace of Culture, the Grand Theatre, the Juche Tower and the Ongrui Restaurant epitomise the Korean variant of Communist architecture. The Gates of Pyongyang and the Arch of Triumph (built in honour of Kim Il Sung's 70th birthday) are particularly impressive, while Morangborg Park and Taesongsan Recreation Ground (with its fairground attractions) offer relaxation. For the (mainly communist) 13th World Festival of Youth and Students in 1989, a 150,000-seat stadium was built in Pyongyang. Mangyongdae, Kim Il Sung's birthplace, is a national shrine. His family's thatched cottage, now a museum, overlooks the Taedong River and the capital.