Kim Jong-un smiles during inspection; photos accidentally reveal levee construction flaws
North Korea released a series of photos to highlight leader Kim Jong-un’s efforts in disaster prevention, but they unexpectedly exposed construction flaws, drawing public attention.
North Korea released a series of photos to highlight leader Kim Jong-un’s efforts in disaster prevention, but they unexpectedly exposed construction flaws, drawing public attention.
Korean Central News Agency reported on the 2nd that Kim Jong-un had inspected embankment construction sites in Sinuiju and Uiju County the day before and released several photos. The area suffered massive flooding a year ago, leaving many people affected.
Kim Jong-un said, “Residents here once considered floods a fate, but now they are a thing of the past,” expressing satisfaction with the embankment repairs and smiling in the photos.
However, problems were discovered with the embankment structure beneath Kim Jong-un’s feet. Zoomed-in photos revealed unevenness between the concrete blocks of the revetment, numerous gaps, and even visible holes in some sections that had not been repaired.
Experts suggest this may be due to hasty construction and shoddy work.
Professor Yoo Young-wook of the Department of Civil Engineering at Chonnam National University told Yonhap News Agency, “It appears that when the concrete blocks were stacked from both sides, there was a misalignment in the center.” He added, “The stacking should have been done in a single direction, with precise calculations and construction, but the rapid pace of construction resulted in a gap.”
Professor Yoo added, “While reinforcements may be implemented in the future, these sections are likely to remain relatively vulnerable.”
North Korea is commemorating the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party of Korea and the final stages of its five-year economic development plan this year. Construction is accelerating across the country. In addition to new urban development and flood recovery projects, multiple projects are being pursued simultaneously, including local development, livestock farms, and greenhouse farms. The military is even being mobilized for construction. However, concerns have been expressed that the tight construction schedule may have led to poor quality.
