Kim Jong Un unveils contentious Pyongyang housing project
The KCNA agency displayed a photograph of a representative block housing complex in Pyongyang, visited by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. It comprises 10,000 flats, but not everyone is eligible to live there. Tenants will be chosen based on their loyalty to the regime. The authorities are proud of the investment, yet the quality of the buildings leaves much to be desired, CNN reports.
According to a study conducted in 2021 by scientists from the Institute of Civil Engineering and Construction Technology in South Korea, North Korea can only provide accommodation for 70–80% of households.
The complex of 10,000 flats in the new Hwasong district is intended to address these issues. Residential buildings are under construction there as part of an ambitious five-year plan announced in 2021, aiming for the construction of 50,000 flats in Pyongyang. The quality of life for residents is expected to be significantly higher than in other parts of this impoverished country, CNN reports.
The housing estate, a source of pride for the regime, was personally visited by Kim Jong Un. It boasts not only skyscrapers but also commercial and service facilities. State media have praised the rapid construction pace in the capital, dubbing it "Pyongyang Speed." Officials claim to have completed the frame of a 70-storey skyscraper in the capital's Ryomyong New Town in just 74 days.
However, experts question the quality of the building materials and the execution of projects in the country—particularly after the collapse in 2014 of a residential building in Pyongyang, which could have housed dozens of families. State media attributed the disaster, which did not disclose the official number of casualties, to "careless construction" and "irresponsible oversight by officials."
Living in skyscrapers in North Korea is not necessarily synonymous with luxury. Frequent power outages disable lifts, making everyday life challenging for those residing on higher floors. Consequently, younger residents are assigned higher apartments, while older residents are moved to lower floors, CNN reports.
The government allocates housing, giving priority to those considered most loyal to the ruling Kim family and those working in sectors deemed most valuable to the nation, such as scientists and engineers.
