{"id":4294,"date":"2019-07-29T12:39:30","date_gmt":"2019-07-29T03:39:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.01.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/?p=4294"},"modified":"2019-08-07T17:24:25","modified_gmt":"2019-08-07T08:24:25","slug":"accidents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.02.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/2019\/07\/society-economy\/accidents\/","title":{"rendered":"\uff1cInside N. Korea\uff1e Dangerous Directive: Kim\u2019s On-Site Order Causes Series of Fatal Construction Accidents"},"content":{"rendered":"
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(Photo) A young man mobilized for the construction of a Pyongyang apartment. Photographed in Pyongyang in August 2011 by Koo Kwang-ho (ASIAPRESS)<\/p><\/div>\n

A reporter partner living in the northern province of Ryanggang spoke with ASIAPRESS in early July about how Kim Jong-un\u2019s impromptu orders led to a series of tragic accidents.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn June 27, a mobilized worker in his 40\u2019s fell while repairing the exterior wall of an apartment building in the Shinheung neighborhood of Hyesan City, dying later in hospital. On the 29th, another man in his 40\u2019s, who was mobilized to paint the exterior walls of an apartment building in Hyesin neighborhood, fell and died instantly. Both of the men had been mobilized for the city\u2019s beautification project, which was launched on Kim Jong-un\u2019s spontaneous orders.\u201d<\/p>\n

The city\u2019s beautification project is said to have begun after Kim Jong-un, on a visit to the area, spontaneously gave orders for the work. The orders were apparently issued on June 1, when North Korea\u2019s Chosun Central News Agency reported that Kim Jong-un visited Chagang Province for on-site inspections.<\/p>\n

The reporting partner heard the following account of the moment the orders were given.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn Chagang Province to inspect the munitions factory, Kim Jong-un, upon seeing shabby houses along the main road, complained, \u2018It\u2019s such a shame. It is because of officials not doing their job that people are still living like this, in such poor houses, in the 21st century.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

With these words, wide-scale urban beautification efforts were launched across the county. In this rush to please the leader and complete the various projects as soon as possible, however, mobilized workers have lost their lives.<\/p>\n

Next page : Obeying Kim Jong-un\u2019s orders with absolute obedience\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u25c6 Obeying Kim Jong-un\u2019s orders with absolute obedience<\/h2>\n

With one word, Hyesan city officials quickly set to work repairing the exteriors of houses along the road.<\/p>\n

In North Korea, the authoritarian system of leadership requires absolute obedience to Kim Jong-un\u2019s orders. And, if the leader\u2019s commands are not executed, officials may be punished, or perhaps even executed themselves. Responding to Kim Jong-un\u2019s criticism, Hyesan city officials decided to repaint the exterior walls of apartments along the road and replace tiles on the roofs of old houses.<\/p>\n

The recently deceased men had been hastily mobilized to complete this work.<\/p>\n

According to the reporting partner, \u201cThe Hyesan City Party Committee is continuing to work without any safety measures and, in the wake of the deaths, is simply telling workers \u2018to be careful\u2019. Moreover, a lot of residents are complaining about the committee forcing them to contribute their own money to pay for the repairs.\u201d<\/p>\n

These deaths follow another tragedy, which occurred on June 28, when a bus carrying workers mobilized for the Samjiyeon tourist zone project crashed into construction machinery on a narrow street in Potae Village, killing more than 10 people. According to the reporting partner, Kim Jong-un\u2019s rush to complete the Samjiyeon project called for the mobilization of over 10,000 residents and has led to frequent accidents. (Kang Ji-won)<\/p>\n

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