North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sharply reprimanded officials of the construction site of a prestigious hospital in Pyongyang for their financial negligence and ordered their dismissal, official media reported on Monday.
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Large construction sites have long been a means of internal propaganda to establish the credibility of the masters of Pyongyang. But some experts observe that priority is often given to the speed of execution of this work, rather than the quality of the infrastructure.
The construction of the Pyongyang General Hospital was launched on a prestigious site, on the banks of the Taedong River, just opposite the hill of Mansu, where throne monumental statues of the founder of the regime, Kim Il Sung, and his son and successor Kim Jong Il, father of the current leader. It is scheduled to be completed by October 10, the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea.
"Crucial mission"
At a ceremony in March, Kim presented the project as a " crucial mission " for the country's health policy. But after being informed of the progress of the site during a site visit, Kim " reported serious problems ," reports the official KCNA agency on Monday. The commission responsible for the site was " negligent " in funding the project, whose " budget is not properly established, " denounced Kim. This project was launched " for the good of the people " but now multiplies the requests for " assistance ", he lamented.
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No further details were given on the nature of the negligence. But the North Korean leader asked the central committee of the ruling party to open an investigation and " replace those responsible ."
The KCNA dispatch also does not give the date of Kim's visit. Some argue that the North Korean yards are behind schedule due to the country's difficulties in sourcing materials due to the strengthening of border controls in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The reclusive regime closed even more in January, when the coronavirus began to spread from its home in central China. Pyongyang also imposed strict containment measures. North Korea continues to argue that it has no cases of Covid-19 on its soil, which experts doubt.
