North Korea’s Rural Development: The First Projects Open
After Kim Jong Un declared the beginning of a new era of “socialist rural construction” in December 2021, construction of new houses and apartments started with characteristic North Korean speed. Commercial satellite imagery indicates that within months of the announcement, demolition of old housing began at several locations across the country, and new construction was underway. In December 2022, when state media typically reviews progress made during the year, Korean Central Television news showed images of smiling people moving into new houses on an almost daily basis—providing solid success of the first year of Kim’s rural initiative.
To help boost the appearance of accomplishments in the first year, some preexisting housing initiatives were included in reporting of the rural initiative’s progress. However, by the second year, construction had already spread so quickly across the country that similar tactics were unnecessary.
The fast start and integration of preexisting construction projects indicate the state was keen to show the rural development work was off to a strong start.
Solbong-ri
One of the first places to see significant change was Solbong-ri in Kosan County, Kangwon Province. Between March and April 2022—just over three months after Kim announced the plan—over 100 houses at the center of the village were razed to make way for new apartment buildings.
In their place, single-story houses and low-rise apartment buildings were built and declared open in November, about nine months after construction began. This complex also included a new volleyball court for the residents.
The only part of the village that remained untouched was a propaganda monument and two large buildings adjacent to it, likely a cultural hall and other civic building.
The consolidation of numerous houses into multi-dwelling units resulted in the clearing of several parcels of land, which appear to have been put into service growing produce.
Other Villages
In addition to the work at Solbong-ri, a string of projects began in several provinces across the county, which were also completed before the end of the year, matching the nine to ten-month timeline for construction per endeavor.
In December 2022 alone, state media reported on new housing openings in at least 22 locations. News was accompanied in newspapers and on television with images of smiling, dancing residents receiving the residency permission documents for their new homes.[1]
It is unclear if the residents moving into the new houses were the same ones displaced when the old neighborhood was torn down.
General Design
While each of the rural development initiatives is different, there are common themes that run through many of them. Most are built on land that had previously been occupied by single-story homes, forcing residents into alternative accommodation for the duration of the construction. However, during construction, no obvious transitional housing is apparent near any of the projects.
The majority of buildings in each development are more modern single-story homes or apartment buildings with two to five stories. Each dwelling contains a kitchen, living room and additional rooms. The architecture of buildings varies throughout each development, and buildings are often finished in a variety of pastel colors.
Most of the buildings feature small gardens and are often completed with fruit trees.
In many cases, the dirt roads that had been between houses have been replaced with at least compacted dirt, if not paving, and drainage has been added along the sides of the roads. Based on television images, many of the new dwellings appear to be on the electricity network and have running water, although consistency of supply is unclear.
Like most North Korean homes, the new apartments are also connected to the “third radio network,” a wired audio system used to communicate sensitive information to citizens that cannot be broadcast over the air.
Getting The Message Across
Propaganda slogans are common in many of the new developments.
For example, at Sosin Vegetable Farm in Pyongyang’s Ryokpho District, a sign near the entrance to the town urges “사회주의농촌건설의 새로운 승리를 향하여!” (Towards a new victory in socialist rural construction!) and at Jungyong-ri in Wonsan, a sign extolls “위대한 김정은동지 따라 새로운 승리를 향하여 앞으로!” (Forward, toward new victory following great Comrade Kim Jong Un!).
And at several, including the Mundong Fruit Farm in Pukchong County, South Hamgyong Province, and at the Solbong-ri housing, slogans such as “사회주의만세!” (Long Live Socialism) are displayed on large hillside characters that look down on each development.
Existing Projects
Not all housing opened during 2022 was a direct result of Kim’s new policy. Some of the bigger initiatives had been started in prior years and were either opened or expanded during the first year of the rural housing campaign.
In Kumsong-ri, a rural area near Nampho, a new housing area was opened in November 2022, a week before the Solbong-ri project saw its official opening. But while the latter was started and finished within 2022, the development in Kumsong-ri had its roots in redevelopment that began in 2019.
At that time, a neighborhood of single-story homes was demolished to make way for new housing. In 2022, that work was expanded to include a culture hall, clinic and welfare facilities in the central part of the village and new housing in other parts.
A similar pattern was followed in Jangchon-ri in Hwangu County, North Hwanghae Province. Work on new housing at the center of the village began in 2020 and spread to multiple nearby locations, making it one of the largest rural housing initiatives to be completed in 2022.
In August, state media reported that more than 600 houses were built, in addition to a cultural hall, clinic, pharmacy and kindergarten.
Next Steps
After a successful first year, the rural development initiative was ramped up and quickly expanded. The next installment of this series will examine some of the efforts carried out in 2023.
- [1]
In North Korea, the state retains ownership of housing but grants residents the right to use it.