Secret World of North Korea’s Kumsusan Palace and Its Underground Tunnel

The Kumsusan Palace of the Sun
Preservation of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il
Former Presidential Office

Ever since North Korea publicly revealed Kim Ju Ae, the daughter of the country’s supreme leader, Kim Jong Un, there has been ongoing speculation about her being groomed as a successor.

This speculation is fueled by the increasing instances of Kim Ju Ae accompanying Kim Jong Un on his local inspections, leading some to believe she is being prepared as the fourth-generation successor.

As 11-year-old Kim Ju Ae garners attention as a potential future leader, her interest in the Presidential Palace, where she may one day reside, is also growing.

The Presidential Palace, now known as the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, is located in the Daesong district of Pyongyang, North Korea, and was established in 1977.

The Palace, which was once used as a royal residence, is now known to serve as the mausoleum for Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, a fact that has shocked many.

Inside the palace, the embalmed bodies of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are preserved, and it is believed that only their successors can be buried in this first-class burial site.

It is speculated that the palace’s name was changed to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun because Kim Il Sung is recognized as the only president in North Korean history.

The palace is a mandatory stop on the state-run tours of North Korea, and visitors are expected to pay their respects in a semi-forced manner.

During Kim Il Sung’s rule, the palace, then known as the Kumsusan Assembly Hall, served as a presidential office similar to the White House or the Blue House in South Korea.

After Kim Il Sung’s death, the palace was converted into a mausoleum, but unlike typical tombs, it was closely designed to resemble a mausoleum exhibition hall for Kim Il Sung. Similarly, after his death, Kim Jong Il was also embalmed and placed in the palace.

The palace’s central hall features a massive statue replicating the appearances of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, along with an exhibition of memorabilia from their lifetimes. The palace is considered one of the largest structures in North Korea, second only to the Rungrado May Day Stadium.

The palace is known as the veiled palace because its interior is strictly off-limits to photography, and little is known about its inside.

The glimpses we have of the interior come from selective coverage by North Korean state media. Inside the palace, guards from the Supreme Guard Command’s 3rd Guard Corps are stationed for ceremonial duties.

In 1994, Kim Il Sung’s embalmed body was preserved as a mummy. This process reportedly cost North Korea significant money, which was paid to Russia for preservation and maintenance.

Inside the palace where Kim Il Sung’s mummy is kept, some of his personal belongings and parts of his train are on display. Interestingly, it is said that Kim Il Sung did not wish for such a lavish tomb during his lifetime.

Initially, Kim Il Sung had left instructions to be buried alongside his comrades at the Revolutionary Martyrs’ Cemetery after his death. However, Kim Jong Il ignored his father’s wishes and converted the palace into a mausoleum to legitimize his power transfer.

Kim Jong Il was also laid to rest in the palace after his death, making the palace more than just a simple tomb.

The fact that the bodies of the Kim family are preserved side by side in a mummified state in the palace suggests that the deification of the family is ongoing within the palace.

Shockingly, it is known that there is a secret underground tunnel in the palace in Pyongyang that is nearly 300 meters deep.

This tunnel, which began construction during Kim Il Sung’s rule and has expanded over three generations, is thought to be of an immense scale that is difficult to estimate.

Choi Tae Sun, a defector who directly participated in the construction of the secret underground tunnel for the Kim family, has testified about its existence.

According to Choi, the official name of the underground tunnel is Kim Il Sung Square. It is located under Ryongnam Mountain and the former Kim Il Sung University Stadium, designed to be safe from bombing. The underground Kim Il Sung Square is more than 100 meters in length and width and 12 meters high, designed to hold Central Committee meetings even during wartime.

This massive underground tunnel, which starts from the palace and passes through the Workers’ Party Building No. 1 and the Golden Bee Station, leads to the Artists’ Apartment.

In North Korea, almost all key locations have underground tunnels, which are connected for emergency evacuation.