Kim Myungsung

North Korea Pushes Occupancy Despite Water Pipe Explosions and Wall Collapse in Rural Housing Project

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has prioritized the rural housing program as a major policy task, but concerns are mounting as the construction faces issues of poor quality.

According to a report by RFA on July 24, a resident source, Mr. A in Ryanggang Province, North Korea, stated that the completion ceremony for the rural housing project in Posong-ri, Samsu County, was delayed due to the explosion of dozens of water pipes and the collapse of walls in hundreds of newly constructed homes. The project is part of North Korea's 5-year construction plan initiated after the 8th Party Congress in 2021 and aims to provide state-owned houses not only in Pyongyang but also in various rural areas.

Houses and public facilities built in Samjiyon City, Ryanggang Province. - Photo by Rodong Sinmun

However, despite the effort put into the project by the North Korean authorities, the controversy over shoddy construction has left residents anxious as they approach the move-in date. Mr. A remarked that within just ten days, all the inadequate parts were repaired, and the completion ceremony was held again. While the rural homes are being showcased as modern cultural houses, the reality is that they are poorly constructed due to material shortages and the rush to complete the project. He continued, stating that although the farmworkers who participated in the completion ceremony received certificates of occupancy, most of them entered their new homes with anxiety, knowing that they would be responsible for their own repairs if water pipes explode and walls collapse.

According to a resident source, Mr. B, in Ryanggang Province, around 100 demonstration rural cultural homes were recently built in Posong-ri, Samsu County, as part of the Party's improved rural homes construction plan. However, due to improper construction methods, water pipes have exploded, and walls have collapsed in various locations. Mr. B also criticized the Party for not following the regulations for the depth of water pipes and the connections (plastic pipes) during the demonstration rural homes construction, despite the region's extreme winter temperatures that can drop below -30 degrees Celsius.