Ponghwa Clinic

The Ponghwa Clinic and Hospital (Korean: 봉화진료소; Hanja: 烽火診療所)^{[nb 1]} is a hospital located in Sinwŏn-dong, Potonggang-guyok, Pyongyang, North Korea, and is believed to be one of the top hospitals in North Korea, treating members of the political elite.^[2][3][4] It is administered by the Ministry of Public Health.^[5]

Ponghwa Clinic
North Korean Ministry of Public Health
Geography
Location	Sinwŏn-dong, Potonggang-guyok, Pyongyang,, North Korea
Organisation
Type	Hospital for political elite
Services
Emergency department	Yes
Helipad	Yes
History
Former name(s)	Government Hospital or the Bonghwa Clinic
Construction started	1968 to 1971
Opened	1971
Links
Lists	Hospitals in North Korea

History

Construction on the clinic began in 1968, on orders from Kim Il Sung.^[6] The Clinic opened in 1971.^[7] The clinic underwent a series of expansions in 2003-2005 and 2009–2010.^[8]

Patients

Access to Ponghwa is restricted to members of North Korea's political elite, and the existence of the hospital is secret within North Korea.^[9][10]

Facilities

The Clinic has a helipad.^[10]

It is reportedly one of the few hospitals in North Korea capable of performing complex surgeries.^[11]

Weapons of mass destruction

The Clinic has been linked to the biological warfare program of North Korea.^[5][12]

See also

• North Korea portal

• Ponghwa Revolutionary Site – nearby historical site

Notes

1. Alternatively known as the Government Hospital or the Bonghwa Clinic^[1]