The most noticeable building in Kaesong and one we had a great view off from the Kwandok Pavilion on Mount Janam is the Kaesong Students and Children’s Palace, a smaller version of the Mangyongdae Children’s Palace in Pyongyang though here in a more traditional Korean architectural style. It opened in 1961.
Children’s Palaces, found throughout North Korea, are not Palaces in the western sense but rather complexes offering a wide of extra curriculum activities to children. These activities concentrate on sports, music, the arts and culture. While theoretically open to all children, and we were told about 3000 attended this one in Kaesong, in practice they are restricted to the children of the elite and party faithful.
I have written an extensive review on the Mangyongdae Children’s Palace in Pyongyang and encourage you to have a look at that for further detail as the concept, ethos, etc of all children’s palaces are the same.
This blog entry is one of a group (loop) of entries based on my visit to Kaesong, North Korea. I suggest you continue with my next entry – Other Extra Curriculum Activity – or to start this loop at the beginning go to my introductory entry – North Korea’s win from the Korean War.
The Rambling Wombat 