The hotel's opening was intended to coincide with the 1989 World Festival of Youth and Students and break the record for the world's tallest hotel, which was held by a South Korean company at the time.
Known as the "Hotel of Doom," this 105-story structure was intended to become the centerpiece of the city's tourist accommodations. The building stands at 1,000 feet and boasts 105 stories. It was designed to include up to 3,000 rooms and five restaurants.
Unfortunately, these ambitious plans for the expansive skyscraper came to a halt over three decades ago when North Korea's economy collapsed.
In the wake of the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, North Korea lost its main trading partner and source of aid.
The Ryugyong Hotel became one of the slump in investment and construction came to a standstill just one year later.
Despite reaching its intended architectural height, the pyramid-shaped structure's interior was never completed.
After being exposed to the elements for nearly twenty years, the building is believed to have weakened, with the lift shafts ending up 'crooked'.
The building is touted as the world's tallest. It has come to symbolize a spectacular failure for North Korea and a stain on Pyongyang's horizon.
The hotel is comprised of three sections, each measuring 328 feet in length and angled at a steep 75 degrees, which join together at the top.
At the pinnacle, there was meant to be an eight-story cone-shaped section that would accommodate five revolving restaurants, offering visitors boasting panoramic views.
However, instead of becoming a celebrated landmark, the "Hotel of Doom" has become an unsightly presence for local residents, serving as a constant reminder of the country's hardship.
Towards the end of 2012, Kempinski, a German hotel group, revealed its plans to partially open and manage the Ryugyong Hotel the following year. Unfortunately, a few months later, the company decided to withdraw from the project.
Despite more than three decades passing since construction began, the hotel remains inaccessible to guests. However, one individual who has ventured inside the building has made it evident that it's not exactly a welcoming environment.
According to CNN, Simon Cockerell, general manager of a company specializing in North Korean tours said: "They took us into the lobby area, where there was a lot of exposed cement. Then we went (on) the one working elevator to the top, which was the 99th floor, I believe."
“It took a long time to get there because it was a service elevator, not a modern lift with a string of buttons. There was a lift operator who determined where to stop. At the top, we had a look around, took some pictures, and went back down to the lobby again.”
According to Reuters, the estimated cost to finalize the hotel is a staggering £1.6 billion.
In 2018, additional efforts were made to improve the appearance of the hotel, including the installation of LED lights, aiming to enhance its visual appeal. Additionally, a sign displaying the hotel's name, "The Ryugyong Hotel," was put in place.
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