"In a country that sorely needs to improve its basic infrastructure, there is no public debate over whether North Korea really needs a new luxury ski resort, or a 105-story pyramid-shaped hotel that has been a Pyongyang landmark for more than 20 years, but has yet to open for business.
Questioning the value of megaprojects held up as symbols of progress and national pride in North Korea is taboo.
Housing, however, hits closer to home.
"This accident happened because they broke the rules and methods of construction," Pyongyang resident Pak Chol told The Associated Press after the accident was reported by the state media.
"We must make sure that this kind of terrible accident never happens again, by sticking to the proper method of building."
"Symbolically, to have a newer building go down in the heart of the city is quite bad indeed," said Geoffrey See, managing director of the Singapore-based nonprofit Choson Exchange, which conducts training on economic policy, entrepreneurship and law in North Korea.
No comments:
Post a Comment