Samjiyŏn Airport (IATA: YJS, ICAO: ZKSE) is an airport in Samjiyon City, Ryanggang Province, North Korea.

Samjiyŏn Airport
Summary
Airport typeMilitary/Public
ServesSamjiyŏn, North Korea
Elevation AMSL4,547 ft / 1,386 m
Coordinates41°54′25.80″N 128°24′35.60″E / 41.9071667°N 128.4098889°E / 41.9071667; 128.4098889
Map
YJS is located in North Korea
YJS
YJS
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
07/25 10,827 3,300 Asphalt
Samjiyon Airport
Chosŏn'gŭl
삼지연공항
Hancha
三池淵空港
Revised RomanizationSamjiyeon gonghang
McCune–ReischauerSamjiyŏn konghang

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

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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.

Airline and destination

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AirlinesDestinations
Air Koryo Pyongyang

References

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  1. ^ "Samjiyon County - DPRK Guide". Young Pioneer Tours. 2019-08-27. Retrieved 2022-06-26.
  2. ^ Bärtås, Magnus; Ekman, Fredrik (2014). Hirviöidenkin on kuoltava: Ryhmämatka Pohjois-Koreaan [All Monsters Must Die: An Excursion to North Korea] (in Finnish). Translated by Eskelinen, Heikki. Helsinki: Tammi. pp. 62–63. ISBN 978-951-31-7727-0.
  3. ^ Landings database page Archived 2012-03-09 at the Wayback Machine "Landings.Com", accessed 4 August 2010.
  4. ^ GlobalSecurity.org "Air Bases - Samjiyon", accessed 4 August 2010.
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