Juche

    Kaesong Castle is a metropolitan castle of Koryo 918-1392.)

    Kaesong became famous from olden times as it has favorable natural condition surrounded by mountains and rivers. In the north is Mt. Songak which was formed linking Mt. Suyang range in South Hwanghae Province and a range of Ahobi Ridge in North Hwanghae Province, in the southeast the River Ryesong and in the northwest the River Han and River Rimjin.

    Balocham Castle was built in the area of Mt. Songak before the building of Kaesong Castle. Koryo moved its capital from Cholwon to Kaesong in 919 and used the southern part of Balocham Castle for a royal palace but did not build the castle surrounding the whole capital.

    Keenly feeling the need to build the castle for defending the capital through the fighting against the Kitan invaders on 3 occasions from the end of the 10^th century to the early 11^th century, Koryo planned to build an outer castle fencing the whole city by attaching to the Balocham Castle and built Kaesong Castle between 1009 and 1029.

    There were 8 large-size gates, 4 middle-size gates and 13 small-size ones.

    Kaesong Castle was composed of a royal palace located in Balocham Castle, an imperial castle and outer castle, but it had 4 components after an inner castle was built between 1391 and 1394.

    Today, Kaesong Castle along with numerous relics inside is well preserved and managed thanks to the Workers’ Party of Korea’s policy to protect the national heritages.