Title: Kim Jong Un’s Contradictory Approach to Construction: Balancing Speed and Quality
Seoul, September 2nd, 2023 — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been facing criticism for his seemingly contradictory directives on construction projects, emphasizing both the importance of quality and the necessity of meeting deadlines, reported Yonhap News Agency.
During a visit to a construction site in Hamgyongnam-do province on August 31, Kim highlighted the principle of lowering speed to enhance quality. He stressed that quality is the cornerstone of construction work, and any pursuit of speed at the expense of quality is detrimental to the Party’s local development policies.
Even the smallest oversight in quality can act as a poison to our Party’s local construction policies, Kim was quoted as saying by the state-run KCNA news agency.
Despite his emphasis on quality, Kim also insisted that a local hospital project must be completed within the year, a directive that appears to conflict with his earlier statements on prioritizing quality over speed. With only four months left in the year, the tight deadline has raised eyebrows among observers.
Kim’s instruction to complete the hospital project within the year, while simultaneously emphasizing the importance of quality, is a contradiction that highlights the challenges faced by North Korea’s construction sector, said an analyst from Yonhap News Agency.
During his visit, Kim also met with military personnel involved in the construction and called for the provision of satisfactory working conditions and hygienic living environments for them. This move is seen as part of the North Korean leader’s broader efforts to improve the living standards of the military and the general population.
Kim further underscored the significance of constructing advanced health facilities, science and technology dissemination centers, and grain management facilities as part of the three major construction tasks he outlined. He expressed his long-held desire to build hospitals across the country, emphasizing that modern health facilities should be included in the local development 20×10 policy and completed without delay.
No matter how arduous the task, no matter how much effort is required, we must ensure that modern health facilities are built and delivered to the local people this year, Kim stated.
The hospital project is part of Kim’s broader vision to modernize North Korea’s infrastructure, a goal that has been a central theme of his leadership. However, the challenge lies in reconciling the need for speed with the imperative of maintaining high standards, especially in a country where resources and technology may be limited.
The contradiction in Kim’s approach to construction is not unprecedented. North Korea has a history of ambitious projects with tight deadlines, often leading to corners being cut and quality suffering as a result. This has raised concerns about the sustainability and long-term impact of such projects.
The pressure to meet deadlines can lead to shortcuts that compromise the structural integrity and functionality of the buildings, commented a construction expert familiar with the region.
The international community closely watches North Korea’s construction projects, as they are often seen as indicators of the country’s economic health and the regime’s priorities. Kim’s latest directives have added another layer of complexity to the ongoing debate about the effectiveness of North Korea’s development strategies.
As the year progresses, the world will be watching to see if Kim’s dual focus on speed and quality can be successfully achieved, or if the contradiction will persist, potentially impacting the quality and longevity of the country’s new infrastructure.
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