Kim Jong Un personally toured the new state-run gaming center located in Pyongyang’s Hwasong district on April 3, 2025, as part of an inspection of new facilities in the area.
The visit was covered by state media outlet Rodong Sinmun the following day, framing the center as part of the government’s push to modernize urban leisure spaces for the country’s capital citizens.
ROG chairs, 149 stations and a menu of 70 games
Photos shared by a Chinese student attending Kim Il Sung University and posted on X give us a real look inside the facility, and honestly, it’s surprising. Each of the at least 149 numbered gaming stations is equipped with PCs, monitors, and headsets from Republic of Gamers, ASUS’s popular gaming brand out of Taiwan.
The gaming menu includes 70 titles, among them some very recognizable names: Resident Evil, Counter-Strike, DOTA, FIFA, Ace Combat, and Call of Duty. The center also includes three gaming rooms, a billiards room, and a soft drinks counter. Not exactly what you’d picture when you think “North Korea.”
The facility initially opened exclusively to local North Koreans, but has since opened its doors to tourists and foreigners living in the country.
A modern leisure space with a very watchful eye
Now, here’s where things get interesting. According to a source from Daily NK, the center operates daily from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., and every visitor must present an ID or student card and log their entry and exit times, including which computer they used.
Monthly members get electronic passes, but those passes also serve as tracking tools. Playing a game of Counter-Strike in North Korea comes with a side of surveillance.
Photography with gaming scenes in the background is prohibited, and gaming materials must not be leaked outside the facility. On top of that, players are required to use “Pyongyang standard language”, no South Korean slang allowed, under penalty of losing access. Regular inspections by police and state security officers make it clear this isn’t just a chill spot to frag enemies online.
The center charges 5,000 North Korean won per hour, roughly $5.50, with payments accepted by card, mobile phone, or cash. It mainly serves high school and university students, and only those living in the Hwasong district, which is home to state-selected elites.
Whether this is a genuine push toward modernization or an elaborately staged showcase of a “modern” North Korea is something observers are still debating. Either way, the idea of Kim Jong Un walking through rows of ROG setups while Call of Duty loads in the background is a mental image nobody was ready for.
What do you think is this a real step toward modernization, or just a very expensive propaganda move? Drop your take in the comments, we’d love to know what you think!