Chilgol

{{Short description|Suburb of Pyongyang, North Korea}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}

File:Chilgol Church (14927462984).jpg in Chilgol]]

Chilgol ({{Korean|hangul=칠골|hanja=七골|context=north}}) is a suburb of Pyongyang in the Mangyongdae District.{{cite book|last=Hoare|first=James|title=Historical Dictionary of Democratic People's Republic of Korea|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZI-6NARaLusC&pg=PA322|year=2012|publisher=Scarecrow Press|location=Lanham|isbn=978-0-8108-6151-0|page=322}}{{cite book|title=Daily Report: East Asia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Xn6QhhFYNogC|number=141–149|year=1996|publisher=The Service|location=Washington|oclc=1008884962|page=38}}

Chilgol is known as the place where Kang Pan Sok, the mother of Kim Il Sung, North Korea's first leader,{{sfn|Corfield|2014a|p=27}} was born in 1892 and spent her childhood.{{sfn|Corfield|2014a|p=27}} The area features many buildings and fixtures related to Kim Il Sung's life. Kim attended Changdok School in Chilgol between 1923 and 1925. According to legend, Kang Pan Sok's father Kang Ton-uk founded the school, although in reality it had been established by the missionary Samuel A. Moffett. Kim Il Sung's desk, in the front of the classroom and left of the teacher, remains preserved there.{{sfn|Corfield|2014a|p=27}} There are statues for Kim Il Sung, Kang Pan Sok, and Kang Ton-uk, and a marked spot where Kim Il Sung used to read among the trees outside. Also on the premises is Chilgol Church,{{sfn|Corfield|2014a|p=27}} which Kang Pan Sok used to attend, sometimes with Kim Il Sung,{{cite book|last=Corfield|first=Justin|title=Historical Dictionary of Pyongyang|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5zKWBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA37|year=2014|publisher=Anthem Press|location=London|isbn=978-1-78308-341-1|page=37}} and Chilgol Museum of Revolutionary History.{{sfn|Corfield|2014a|p=27}} The museum houses Kang Pan Sok's possessions including kitchen utensils.{{sfn|Corfield|2014b|p=74}} Kang Pan Sok Senior Middle School in Chilgol is named after her.{{sfn|Corfield|2014b|p=74}}

Although Mangyongdae, also in Pyongyang, is traditionally considered the birthplace of Kim Il Sung, he wrote in his memoirs that he was in fact born in Chilgol where Kang Pan Sok had gone to give birth.{{sfn|Corfield|2014c|p=120}}

Chilgol is designated as a Revolutionary Site, built up in July 1954.{{Cite web |title=Endless Stream of People Visit Chilgol Revolutionary Site |publisher=Korean Central News Agency |date=14 July 2014 |archive-date=11 October 2014 |url= http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2014/201407/news14/20140714-29ee.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141011172534/http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2014/201407/news14/20140714-29ee.html }} The Namchongang Trading Corporation is based in Chilgol.{{cite web | url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/03/15/2016-05847/additional-designation-of-north-korean-entities-pursuant-to-executive-order-13382 | title=Additional Designation of North Korean Entities Pursuant to Executive Order 13382 | publisher=US Treasury | date=15 March 2016 | access-date=14 September 2017}} Oryu Valley nearby hosts a large strawberry farm.{{sfn|Corfield|2014a|p=27}}