Sprawling New Apartments in Pyongyang's Skyline
North Korea forges forward with the concluding steps of the Pyongyang residential development project
Check out North Koreans chillin' at a fresh apartment complex in Pyongyang, straight from a picture given by the Rodong Sinmun on May 3, 2025. [News1]
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More views of Pyongyang's new apartment complex, courtesy of the Korean Central News Agency on April 27, 2025. [News1]
- For the sight-impaired folk, captions are your jam, and here they are! Close captions settings if you don't need 'em.
Let's take a peek behind the curtain:
The present housing landscape in Pyongyang delivers a fascinating mix of grand new developments and indications of concerns regarding past housing projects. Here's what we're witnessing:
Rising Skyscrapers
An enticing new district towering above Pyongyang's Hwasong area has popped up thanks to a five-year (2021-2026) construction plan orchestrated by the North Korean government. This marvel, completed in April 2025, boasts a whopping 10,000 apartment units and even got a personal thumbs-up from Kim Jong-un during the "Day of the Sun" fete (Kim Il-sung's birthday). State journalists spin it as a major feat, emphasizing that the housing was provided "rent-free" to educators and scientists. [4] Though this project seems to be part of a broader scope, it's the main focus these days.
Government Spin
The North Korean propaganda machine portrays housing construction as a crucial step for national advancement. Kim Jong-un declared the 10,000-unit project as the climax of a plan to construct 50,000 homes in Pyongyang, all while syncing housing progress with political loyalty. The chronology of inaugurations on symbolic dates, such as the "Day of the Sun," further bolsters this narrative. [3]
Structural Questions
Despite the new construction, older high-rises face some significant issues. For instance, a 53-story apartment building on Future Scientist Street (built in 2015) is battle-scarred with cracks, falling tiles, and structural defects. [4] Authorities have yet to comment on this, but these problems are a stark contrast to the government's statement of building modern, durable housing. [1][4]
Positive Spaces, Elsewhere
While Pyongyang is embracing state-driven housing, South Korea is dealing with a surplus of unsold apartments. As of February 2025, a whopping 23,722 unsold new apartments remained in South Korea, primarily in provincial areas. [5] This contrast exemplifies the varying economic approaches, but neither seems to be the solution to addressing housing quality or accessibility concerns.
- The 10,000-unit apartment complex in Pyongyang's Hwasong area, completed in April 2025 and praised by Kim Jong-un, is a significant development in North Korea's politics and general news, being dubbed as a major step forward in the nation's advancement.
- Through the lens of politics, the deployment of these new apartments in Pyongyang signals a celebration of national progress, especially when aligned with symbolic dates such as the "Day of the Sun."
- Audio_2, likely a news report, might have discussed the deployment of these apartment units, emphasizing their importance in Pyongyang's skyline in the context of war-and-conflicts and political news.
- Meanwhile, in South Korea, there's a stark contrast in the housing landscape with a surplus of 23,722 unsold apartments as of February 2025, a matter that falls under the realm of south Korean-style general news and politics.
