North Korea celebrated the completion of leader Kim Jong Un’s signature construction project, a new city near the sacred mountain where his family claims its roots. The state media dubbed it an epitome of modern civilisation.
A celebration with fireworks was conducted at the city near Mount Paektu on Monday. Kim Jong Un was pictured cutting ribbons of snow covered buildings.
The city named Samjiyon is envisaged as a socialist utopia with new apartments, hotels, a ski resort and commercial, cultural and medical facilities.
The city can accommodate 4,000 families and has 380 blocks of public and industrial buildings in hundreds of hectares.
The building of the city was one of the largest initiative launched by Kim, however its construction was delayed due to shortages in construction materials and labour force as sanctions were imposed to curb the states nuclear programmes.
Shortage of a labour force prompted Kim to deploy youth brigades who were treated as slaves with no food or pay in return of better chances to enter a university or chance of higher ranking within the party.
