Northwestern North Korea has changed dramatically over the past year. In the lower Yalu River region, which suffered massive flood damage from record-breaking torrential rains in late July last year, apartment complexes completed through "speed battles" line up along the river. While spectacular from a distance, observation through ultra-telephoto cameras reveals construction defects. Along the riverbank, embankment construction was in full swing with many male and female soldiers mobilized. (ASIAPRESS Editorial Team)
◆Impressive Apartment Complex, But Look Closely...
The torrential rains in late July last year resulted in numerous deaths and missing persons. Wihwa Island in Sinuiju, North Pyongan Province—a mid-river island in the Yalu River—was completely flooded, with homes and fields washed away.
The Kim Jong-un regime conducted large-scale reconstruction work in the affected lower Yalu River region. As far as can be confirmed by satellite photos, nearly 70 apartment buildings stand on Wihwa Island alone. According to the Korean Central News Agency, a completion ceremony was held last December. This means they were completed almost entirely by human labor in a construction period of barely six months.
When the ASIAPRESS reporting team visited the site last October, "speed battle" construction was in full swing. Masses of people mobilized regardless of gender were silently working in dangerous environments without adequate basic safety equipment like helmets or safety lines. The construction methods, prioritizing speed over quality, were crude, and from a distance sometimes appeared like ruins.
Examining the apartment appearance through ultra-telephoto cameras reveals areas on the outer walls where alkaline components from the cement have leached out and turned white, and places where tiles have fallen off. This appears to be due to tiles being attached before concrete curing was sufficient, and the base mortar and painted surfaces not being finished smoothly.
◆The Rushed Atmosphere Continues
Even now, soldiers of both genders continue to be mobilized in large numbers for embankment construction and maintenance. Though it couldn't be confirmed on site, according to state media, behind the apartment complex, facilities including massive greenhouses and science and technology research bases are under construction, with a "large farm city" plan led directly by Kim Jong-un in progress.
