MUSEUM OF THE VICTORIOUS WAR

Another mandatory visit in the North Korean capital: the Korean War Museum. First opened in 1953 in the city centre, the institution moved ten years later to the current building.

The visit is usually done in the presence of a military guide who will present the official vision of the Korean War and its consequences, as well as the many wartime catches: planes, tanks, light vehicles... Once the outdoor tour is completed, you will start to visit the main museum. The central element is the exhibition of the USS Pueblo, an American ship that was captured while entering the North Korean territorial waters in 1968. At the top there is a large panoramic room with a 360-degree slideshow on the theme of the battle of Daejon against the Americans between 14 and 21 July 1950 and culminating in the withdrawal of the imperialist troops. The staging is well done, and the projection is also an opportunity to admire the modern machines used for the show and that are the pride of the Museum. The other halls of the Museum present the North Korean view of the Korean War by sometimes eluding some important aspects such as the life-saving participation of the Chinese army or even about the fact that they insist only on the atrocities committed by the Americans and Japanese while forgetting their own little glorious actions. The passionate of relics, uniforms and antique weapons will enjoy. Beyond what is narrated, it would be a real experience to have a guide who would tell the story as he has been taught and who has never heard a contradictory or different version as he would be too young to have lived it in person.

Be careful not to ask questions that could threaten the viability of the guides as they could be offended or consider the questioning as a provocation. Needless to challenge the official version of history that is being told here, it is impossible to convince the locals who grew up with this unique and truncated vision that serves the interests of the actual regime.

USS Pueblo (AGER-2): built as a cargo ship intended to carry passengers and equipment for the US Army in 1944, the USS Pueblo became a spy ship in the years 1960. On 23 January 1968, the vessel was captured by the North Korean military who claimed to have intercepted it in the territorial waters of the country at 7.6 miles from the island of Ryo in the maritime territory of Japan. When the ship was captured, a crew member was killed; the other 82 were captured and tortured for 11 months, creating major tensions between North Korea, China, the USSR and the United States.

It is possible to board for the projection of a short film as well as visit the boat, especially the code room which still possesses some encryption machines.

The Pueblo is the only US Navy ship which is still on the register of ships in service and which has currently been seized.