North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a hospital construction site in Yonggang County, instructing workers to implement advanced construction methods.
The Korean Central News Agency reported on September 13 that Kim conducted an on-site inspection of the hospital construction site on the previous day. Party Secretary Pak Jong-chon accompanied him on the visit.
Kim emphasized the need to create and adopt efficient and advanced construction methods. He urged officials to take measures to significantly enhance the technical equipment and mechanization levels of the People’s Army’s local construction units.
The leader stated that the comprehensive transformation of local areas is a long-term project, not something that can be completed in a year or two. He instructed all construction units to focus on building their technical capabilities and continuously expanding their skilled workforce to successfully complete the large-scale construction tasks assigned to them year after year.
Kim encouraged the entire construction unit, saying that the military must not only fight and defeat external enemies but also combat the historical backwardness that persists in the era. Further, for the revolutionary cause to advance rapidly, the military must lead the way in pioneering and creating new civilizational advancements and prosperity.
North Korea has declared this year as the Year of Health Revolution and is currently piloting the construction of different hospitals in three locations: Yonggang County, Kangdong County, and Kusong City. Starting next year, they plan to simultaneously construct hospitals in 20 cities and counties annually.
On September 8, Kim visited the hospital construction site in Kusong City, outlining various tasks related to the hospital’s opening. Earlier, on June 2, he inspected the Kangdong County hospital construction site, emphasizing the development of the health system. On June 9, he visited the Kusong City site, directing efforts to enhance construction capabilities while paying special attention to local hospital projects.
This recent visit appears to be aimed at promoting the hospital construction project ahead of the party’s founding anniversary on October 10 and the upcoming 9th Party Congress.
Interestingly, the news of Kim’s visit to the Yonggang County hospital construction site was not reported in the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Workers’ Party of Korea, which is widely read by North Korean citizens.