North Korea has announced plans to construct another set of high-rise twin towers as part of the fourth phase of a large-scale housing development in Pyongyang’s Hwasong District. Every time a new modern street is built, twin towers emerge as striking landmarks, seemingly intended to rally public sentiment and showcase construction achievements. Analysts highlighted this trend on Tuesday.
In a speech at the groundbreaking ceremony on Sunday for the fourth phase of the Hwasong District’s 10,000-unit housing project, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stated, “With this year’s construction of 10,000 homes, Pyongyang’s 50,000-unit housing initiative, vigorously implemented since the 8th Party Congress in 2021, has finally entered its final stage.”
During his speech, the new residential district was rendered in the background. It prominently features a pair of towering twin buildings.
These twin towers are designed as church spires, a style rarely seen in North Korean architecture. Experts have noted that the buildings incorporate elements of Gothic architecture.
In 2024, North Korea also completed the second phase of the Hwasong District housing project, presenting another set of twin towers as a landmark, symbolizing intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
Professor Kim Hee Sun, a visiting professor at Chung-Ang University in South Korea, commented, “While it may not be full-fledged Stalinist Gothic architecture, the sharp and striking vertical form resembling church spires serves as a regional landmark. This demonstrates that North Korea considers this area symbolically and politically significant.”
In his speech, Kim Jong Un emphasized that the district would become a majestic and beautiful area where artistic aesthetics and advanced civilization harmonize. This suggests that he has personally overseen the design process and assigned political meaning to the development.
Professor Kim also noted that Western architectural elements stand out in other buildings’ designs. The exterior materials of the buildings resemble the red-brick finish seen in residential complexes for educators at Kim Chaek University of Technology, Unha Scientists Street, and Kim Il Sung University. This choice reflects an effort to embed scientific and cultural symbolism into the urban landscape,” he noted.
North Korea has consistently incorporated high-rise landmark structures in newly developed residential areas, using them to symbolize the regime’s accomplishments. However, reports indicate that chronic power shortages have not been fully resolved, often resulting in malfunctioning elevators. As a result, many residents reportedly prefer not to live in these high-rise buildings.
