The Ryugyong Hotel is a 105-story skyscraper under construction in Pyongyang, North Korea. Construction began in 1987 with planned completion in 1989. However, after several delays, construction was eventually halted in 1992; due to widespread economic disruptions in North Korea and shortages of raw materials. The massive concrete shell stood topped out but without windows or interior fittings for the next sixteen years.
The building rises to a height of 330 meters (1,080 ft), making it the most prominent feature of Pyongyang’s skyline and by far the largest structure in North Korea. Construction of the Ryugyong was intended to be completed in time for the 13th World Festival of Youth and Students in June 1989; had this been achieved, it would have held the title of world’s tallest hotel.
In 2008 construction resumed, and the exterior was completed in 2011. It was planned to open the hotel in 2012, the centenary of Kim Il-sung's birth. A partial opening was announced for 2013, but this was canceled. As of 2018, the building remains unopened and has been called the tallest unfinished building in the world.