Pyongyang [North Korea], July 14: Pyongyang is building in Samjiyon what it calls a " utopia " and "model highly civilized mountain city" with apartments, new hotels, a ski resort and commercial, cultural and medical facilities, according to Reuters.
While praising the achievements the builders have made so far, Mr. Kim said the irresponsibility of some senior officials had caused a series of serious violations, including shoddy construction and financial losses, according to KCNA.
Mr. Kim named and criticized Mr. Ri Sun-chol, the minister of state construction supervision appointed in September 2023, as a "good-for-nothing" who had never even visited the said location since December 2023. Mr. Kim suspended Mr. Ri from his position and ordered an official investigation.
Leader Kim also suspended all members of the new project's construction inspection committee, removed an official responsible for the issue and vowed to review the vice premier and other officials for their dereliction of duty.
While touring newly built hotels for domestic tourists , Kim sternly pointed out that the construction of these hotels was carried out at an outdated level. "These new buildings must be renovated and thus this issue adversely affects the overall long-term plan for the city's development and causes economic losses," KCNA quoted Kim as saying.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper