A Russian YouTuber’s footage of the Pyongyang subway, taken during a trip to North Korea, has garnered attention. The travel YouTuber “Victor” shared a video titled “Pyongyang Subway (2024), North Korea” on his channel “PoletMe Aviation Videos” on the 27th. Victor mentioned that he had visited North Korea last month on a 5-day, 4-night tour. The video features interior shots of the subway and stations in Pyongyang, filmed on the second day of his trip. It is known that tourists are allowed to visit and film only certain places.
The Russian tourists took a car to Pyongyang Buphung Station, where they received paper tickets from a man who appeared to be a local guide. The fare was 150 North Korean won. They took an escalator down to the deep underground platform, where the ceiling was arched. The walls were adorned with texts praising “the Great Leader Comrade Kim Il-sung” and pictures of the Kim family.
At each station, female guides were giving hand signals. When the three-car subway arrived, many passengers got on and off. The train on which they traveled was crowded, and inside the older train car of the Chollima Line were photos of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il.
Their next stop was Yonggwang Station, which was more lavishly decorated than Buphung Station. Yonggwang had a high arched ceiling and ornate lighting fixtures. The walls featured large paintings of Kim Il-sung. A screen on the ceiling displayed socialist propaganda continuously. Victor explained, “Previously, tourists could only visit two stations (Buphung and Yonggwang), but today, we could visit a third one.”
The group then alighted at Kaesŏn Station. Victor noted that Kaesŏn Station, with its modern atmosphere, had been remodeled in 2019. There were screens hanging from the ceiling, but murals extolling the Kim family were also present, along with a bust of Kim Il-sung in one area.
The camera captured local students in uniforms passing by in groups. Among them was a male student wearing a black hoodie with the hood up, carrying a bag prominently featuring the Under Armour logo, an American sports brand. In North Korea, the United States is typically seen as a symbol of imperialism, and even wearing jeans is prohibited.
After leaving the station, Victor and his group took a bus again. On the bus, they received ice cream from their guide. It was a peanut-flavored ice cream called “Eskimo.” Through the bus windows, scenes of downtown Pyongyang were visible. Wide and pleasant roads stretched between high-rise buildings, but there were few cars, and passersby often crossed the streets pulling carts.
Victor disclosed that the total cost of his 5-day tour from Vladivostok to North Korea was $1,378 (approximately 1.91 million South Korean won). This cost included airfare, accommodation, and meals. North Korea reopened its borders to tourists in February this year after closing them due to COVID-19. According to the Russian embassy in North Korea, more than 1,000 Russian tourists visited North Korea between February and September.