Kim Jong Un, the General Secretary of North Korea’s Workers’ Party, recently toured the nearly completed Pyongyang General Hospital. During his visit, he criticized officials for violating discipline during construction and emphasized the importance of maintaining internal order.
The party’s official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported on Wednesday that Kim inspected various departments of the hospital. These included specialized units such as video diagnosis, emergency care, and comprehensive laboratory testing, as well as intensive care units for dentistry and internal medicine. He also visited the main operating theater, patient rooms, the academic conference hall, and the helicopter landing pad.
Kim stressed the importance of designing the hospital’s spaces to promote both physical and mental healing. He emphasized that since treatment and recovery are the primary focus of a hospital, it is crucial to provide patients with an environment that offers psychological comfort.
The leader also reviewed the hospital’s interior finishes and the preparations for medical services. He mentioned that in line with regional development policies, three modern city and county hospitals will be completed by year-end or early next year, and starting next year, 20 local hospitals will be established annually. Kim urged the Pyongyang General Hospital to play a central and leading role in implementing the country’s health revolution policy.
During this inspection, it was revealed that internal chaos had arisen due to officials violating disciplinary protocols during the hospital’s construction.
Kim pointed out that while the global health crisis contributed to an 18-month delay in the project compared to other sectors, the primary cause was internal. He attributed the confusion to some leading Cabinet officials and executive workers of the Pyongyang General Hospital construction alliance, citing their pursuit of personal glory.
The leader noted that these individuals had disregarded state financial regulations by proceeding with construction without approved budgets, leading to economic losses. More alarmingly, he revealed that they had established unauthorized support structures and initiated nationwide fundraising efforts.
Kim harshly criticized these officials, labeling them as politically immature individuals unable to understand the true purpose and nature of the construction project. He described them as opportunists seeking recognition by participating in a project that directly serves the Party’s interests.
The report indicated that those involved in the misconduct included former high-ranking officials from the Party Central Committee’s organizational leadership who had served as political leaders of the construction alliance. A special measure was implemented last December to refund all contributions made by individual units and citizens to the hospital construction fund.
Kim stated that this incident exemplifies the ongoing disorder in economic projects, the subjective desires of officials, and the immaturity in political leadership. He then outlined specific measures to address the shortcomings observed in the construction and medical service preparations at the Pyongyang General Hospital.
He emphasized that to elevate the country’s healthcare system to world-class standards, priority must be given to improving the design of healthcare facilities. Kim asserted that once modern hospitals are established in more than 200 cities and counties nationwide, the foundation of the country’s healthcare system will fundamentally change. He also provided specific instructions for the upcoming completion ceremony, indicating that it would take place soon.
The Pyongyang General Hospital, which broke ground in March 2020, was initially slated for completion on October 10 of that year, coinciding with the Party’s founding day. However, this deadline was missed. In January 2021, during a Supreme People’s Assembly meeting, Kim issued a new directive to complete the project by year-end, but this goal was also not met. Kim inspected the completed hospital structure in February of this year, yet no significant updates on its completion have emerged since then.
Given North Korea’s inadequate medical infrastructure, it was speculated that while the hospital’s exterior had been completed, it lacked the necessary medical equipment for the interior. Some analysts suggested that the country might rely on Russian support for its completion. However, Kim’s recent inspection revealed that some delays were due to the misconduct of Party officials. The completion ceremony for the Pyongyang General Hospital is now expected to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the Party’s founding on October 10.
