Samjiyon Airport Explained

Samjiyŏn Airport
Iata:YJS
Icao:ZKSE
Type:Military/Public
City-Served:Samjiyŏn, North Korea
Elevation-F:4547
Elevation-M:1386
Pushpin Map:North Korea
Pushpin Label:YJS
Pushpin Mark:Airplane_silhouette.svg
Coordinates:41.9072°N 128.4099°W
R1-Number:07/25
R1-Length-F:10,827
R1-Length-M:3,300
R1-Surface:Asphalt
Hangul:삼지연공항
Hanja:三池淵空港
Rr:Samjiyeon gonghang
Mr:Samjiyŏn konghang
Context:north

Samjiyŏn Airport is an airport in Samjiyon City, Ryanggang Province, North Korea.

The airport is located near Baekdu Mountain. Tour groups fly to the airport for scheduled journeys to this significant landmark and to see the birthplace of Kim Jong-il.[1] All tours to the area will include a trip here.

There is a high presence of military equipment at this airport, there are large numbers of older Soviet jets such as MiG-15's lined up in sidings next to the runway and many utility vehicles/jeeps. Whether or not these are operational is unknown, but highly unlikely given their apparent condition.

The only flights to this airport are from Pyongyang Sunan International Airport and served by the country's only airline: Air Koryo.

The airport was built in the 1980s to accommodate a ski center planned by a South Korean company. The venture failed, and Samjiyŏn airport now sits in a deserted location.[2]

Facilities

The airfield has a single asphalt runway 07/25, measuring 10750 x 197 feet (3277 x 60 m).[3] [4] It has a full-length parallel taxiway. Entrances to underground bunkers are clearly visible in satellite photography of the base.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2019-08-27 . Samjiyon County - DPRK Guide . 2022-06-26 . Young Pioneer Tours . en.
  2. Book: Bärtås. Magnus. Ekman. Fredrik. Hirviöidenkin on kuoltava: Ryhmämatka Pohjois-Koreaan. 2014. Tammi. Helsinki. fi. 978-951-31-7727-0. 62–63. All Monsters Must Die: An Excursion to North Korea. Eskelinen. Heikki.
  3. http://www.landings.com/evird.acgi?pass=183122747&ref=-&mtd=41&cgi=%2Fcgi-bin%2Fnph-search_apt&var=13&buf=66&src=_landings%2Fpages%2Fsearch_apt.html&1=&5=&7=&8=&6=Samjiyon&9=&10=&max_ret=10&start_ret=1 Landings database page
  4. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/dprk/samjiyon-ab.htm GlobalSecurity.org