Inside the Mangyongdae Revolutionary School, where North Korea trains its next generation of leaders
Originally set up by the North’s founder Kim Il-sung to educate the orphans of those killed in the fight against Japanese colonial rule, it has evolved to become the country’s top school
Not many schools have classrooms equipped with tanks, jet fighter simulators, and grenade launchers. But North Korea’s Mangyongdae Revolutionary School for boys is no ordinary establishment.
Originally set up by the North’s founder Kim Il-sung to educate the orphans of those killed in the fight against Japanese colonial rule, it has evolved to become the country’s top school, and one of the institutions that knits the ruling elite together.
A bronze statue of Kim and his son and successor Kim Jong-il – an old boy – embracing pupils overlooks the playing field, and the corridors are lined with weapons identification posters.
One room is crammed with small arms, another holds a tank with moving caterpillar tracks, and shooting is a key subject, with training taking place on an electronic range.
The 1,000 shaven-headed boys wear a military-style uniform said to have been designed by the senior Kim’s wife Kang Pan-sok, a red line down their trousers symbolising their devotion to the cause of revolution.