◀ Again ▶
Every year North Korea builds a new city on a large scale, and the construction period is said to last only about a year.
They are literally focusing on “rapidly building war,” and Unification Observatory reporter Choi Yu-chan examined what the reason is and whether there are problems.
◀ Report ▶
The second phase of residential construction in Pyongyang’s Hwaseong district began in February last year.
The construction of a new city with 40-storey apartments and various amenities on an area of 800,000 square meters was completed in one year and two months.
[화성지구 2단계 준공식 (2024년 4월)]
“The entire country welcomed the birth of another new ideal.”
After North Korea said it would build a total of 50,000 houses in Pyongyang, 10,000 every year in 2021, Songsin Songhwa Street was completed in 1 year and 1 month in 2022, and the first phase of construction of Hwaseong District it was completed in 2023. I finished it in two years and two months.
Construction that would normally have taken several years in other countries was completed in just over a year.
[최명기/대한민국산업현장교수]
“Basically you have to create a residential land, cut down the mountain and then build an apartment, which means it will take our country at least three years in the shortest possible time.”
It is no exaggeration to say that the construction of North Korea is a story of rapid warfare.
During the restoration process in Pyongyang, the so-called “Pyongyang speed” appeared, referring to building a house in 14 minutes, and fast electric construction was also applied to Changjeon Street and Ryomyong Street, which were built during Kim Jong -an era.
[려명거리 건설 노동자 (조선중앙TV, 2016년)]
“The 40-story structure was completely completed in approximately 40 days after the first shovel was driven in.”
The reason North Korea is able to build a new city in such a short period of time is because it is possible to build a new city in a tactical style, mobilizing all the soldiers and construction equipment.
In fact, most of Pyongyang’s recent residential construction has been done by soldiers.
[심승일/화성지구 2단계 작업군인 (2023년 6월)]
“Our brigade actively promotes projects to shorten construction times by simultaneously three-dimensionally carrying out structural construction and utility network construction.”
The fact that North Korea has abundant reserves of various construction raw materials, such as limestone, a raw material for cement, is also a factor that allows North Korea to carry out large-scale construction projects despite economic difficulties.
[최경수/북한자원연구소장]
″There are tens of billions of tons of limestone in North Korea. The raw materials to produce cement are sufficient. There are no big problems in getting it.″
However, excessive speed can increase the risk of poor construction, as in the 2014 Pyongyang apartment collapse that resulted in fatalities.
[최명기/대한민국산업현장교수]
″There is a possibility that concrete strength has not been achieved. There could be problems with the rebars, water leaks or lack of insulation…”
However, the reason North Korea is so focused on rapid construction is because construction is an area where it can quickly and effectively publicize the party’s achievements.
Indeed, North Korea increases the intensity of its propaganda every day, claiming that the construction of new homes is an achievement based on President Kim Jong-un’s spirit of love for the people.
For now, North Korea’s construction projects, used as a mechanism to encourage loyalty and strengthen regime solidarity, are expected to continue.
This is Choi Yu-chan from MBC News.
Video editing: Park Chan-young
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