Rungrado 1st of May Stadium (foto: Twitter)
North Korea’s Rungrado 1st of May Stadium, once built to showcase power over South Korea, now sits largely unused—an abandoned symbol of grandiose political ambition.
The Rungrado 1st of May Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea, holds the record as the largest stadium in the world by capacity. Originally constructed to rival South Korean stadiums and project the might of the regime, today it stands as a massive, mostly empty shell—a relic of propaganda-driven megalomania.
Opened in 1989, the stadium was a direct response to South Korea’s growing global sports presence, particularly following the 1988 Seoul Olympics. North Korea intended the venue to showcase its strength not only to its southern neighbor but also to the world.
The stadium was built on an island in the Taedong River and initially boasted a capacity of 150,000 spectators. Following a major renovation in 2015, that figure has been unofficially revised to around 114,000, although state media continues to claim the original number can still be achieved if needed.
While the structure is architecturally stunning and has hosted massive state events, including the world-renowned Arirang Mass Games, featuring over 100,000 performers, its day-to-day use is virtually nonexistent.
According to reports, Kim Jong-un personally ordered its overhaul in 2015, revamping over 1,300 interior rooms and amenities. But aside from tightly controlled national celebrations, military parades, and rare football matches, the stadium remains eerily silent and unused.
What was once envisioned as a beacon of national pride has instead become a monument to a failed strategy—where infrastructure was built not for the people, but as a statement of defiance and dominance.