Hwajinpo

The first leaders of the two Koreas seemed to have conspired: the so-called summer houses of Kim Il Sung and Li Sinman are almost opposite each other, at a distance of about 1 km. The area of Lake Khvanjipho, separated by a thin jumper from the East Sea, is a place where you want to live, not only for presidents and leaders. The sea and the lake, centuries-old pine trees and the picturesque island of the Golden Turtle, where, according to legend, the legendary van expander of Kwangatho lands was planning to arrange a grave for himself - how not to want to live in such a paradise?

Naturally, Kim Irsen did not know that once upon a time a modest house of his implacable rival for supremacy on the Korean Peninsula would stand next to his cozy summer house. Now these are two, already in many respects dissimilar not only in order, but, often, in the psychological structure of the inhabitants of the country.

How did it happen that the dachas of Mr. Lee and Comrade Kim are so close to each other? The Republic of Korea officially appears on August 15, 1948; On September 9, 1945, the DPRK was formed. The border turned out to be very even - 38 parallels drew it.

On June 25, 1950, the Korean War began; in fact, it has not yet officially ended. But, according to the results of the current ceasefire, the border is now completely uneven: in the west, North Korea has more territory left than it was before the war; in the east, on the contrary, the Republic of Korea grabbed a bigger piece for itself.

We are now in the east and overlook the East Sea. It’s close to the border - about 10 km. So we are on - in the former territory of the DPRK!

In August 1948, the future Great Leader (with a capital letter), The fate of the nation, The bright sun of the Juche - Kim Jong Il, who was then 6 years old, was photographed on the steps of this house. Which gives us, of course, the right to call this castle proudly: the cottage of his dad, Kim Irsen!

By the way, neither Kim Irsen’s summer cottage nor Lee Sungman’s summer cottage, the first president of South Korea, were preserved. Both cottages are restored.

Kim Irsen’s cottage was originally a chapel built by Pastor Sherwood Hall, the inventor of Christmas vignettes and a tuberculosis fighter on Korean soil. By the time he was freed from the Japanese, he was either already in a Japanese prison, being arrested for “espionage,” or preaching and educating in India. A preacher lived for a long time, at 98 he died in Vancouver. But reburied in Seoul, by the way.

The chapel looks more like a small fortress - hence its other name: “Khvachzhinpoh Fortress”.

The association’s observatory, from where curious Southerners and foreigners observe not the stars, but the North Koreans, is now closed in connection with the notorious crown-19. If you are planning to come here somehow, do not forget to check in at the observatory. They say the Diamond Mountains of Kimgansan are visible from there in fine weather.

Lake Khvachzhinpo, Kim Il Sung's summer cottage, Lee Seung Man's summer cottage, association observatory