There aren't many cemeteries accessible to the few determined travelers who manage to make it into this most isolated of countries. Typically, tours to North Korea include a visit to Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where the bodies of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il lie in state permanently. Some tours also bring you to the tombs of ancient Korean kings, most notably King Kongmin and King Wangon, whose traditional royal tombs lie in the hills outside the city of Kaesong. But if you select the right tour, you will be taken to the Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery, in the outskirts of Pyongyang.
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| Monument at the entrance to the cemetery |
This haunting cemetery contains over 130 monuments to fallen martyrs, mainly those who died during the anti-Japanese resistance in the decades leading up to World War II.
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| Rows of graves topped with busts |
The grave of Kim Jong Suk, first wife of Kim Il Sung and mother of Kim Jong Il, is located in a key position of honor: in the center of the top row. She's considered the mother of the country, and is sort of a patron saint of all things feminine in North Korea.
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| Grave of Kim Jong Suk |
Many of the monuments are cenotaphs, but some contain the ashes of the dead. Each one features a bronze bust, whose likenesses were crafted from photographs of the departed.
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| A row of martyrs |
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| A typical grave |
The only way to get into North Korea is to take a tour. And even then, options are limited, and the tours aren't cheap.
One of the most reputable companies is Beijing-based Koryo Tours. To visit this cemetery, choose a tour whose itinerary specifically includes it, because in North Korea you can't just wander off on your own; you have to travel around with your tour group.
