North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited the newly completed Gangdong County Hospital, which was constructed in about nine months after breaking ground in February this year.
The Workers’ Party’s official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported on Thursday that the grand opening ceremony for the hospital, part of the Local Development 20X10 Policy, took place on Wednesday, with Kim Jong Un in attendance.
Kim said the ceremony marked the second phase of the local development policy and the first visible result of a modern local hospital. He also said completing the project within the same year set the ideal pace they hoped for, describing it as evidence of nationwide revitalization driven by North Korea’s own momentum.
He added that the hospital represented a complete shift in how local medical facilities should look and operate, calling both the construction and future management a model for strengthening local healthcare.
Kim noted that with the upcoming completion of hospitals in Guseong City and Yonggang County, and emergency treatment centers in the Wonsan Galma coastal tourist area, North Korea will have built six modern medical facilities this year, including the Pyongyang General Hospital.
During the groundbreaking ceremony in February, Kim instructed authorities to build pilot hospitals in three areas — Gangdong County in Pyongyang, Yonggang County in Nampo, and Guseong City in North Pyongan Province — and announced plans to build 20 hospitals annually starting next year. This is also the first time North Korean media has mentioned the emergency center in the Wonsan Galma area. The Pyongyang General Hospital, completed last month, began operations earlier this month.
After his speech, Kim toured the hospital, inspecting operating rooms, patient wards, and administrative offices. He said the Gangdong County Hospital marked a new milestone in local development and a major step in modernizing the national healthcare system.
He urged officials to use the experience gained from this year’s pilot projects to expand local healthcare construction more aggressively, starting next year.
Rodong Sinmun showcased both the exterior and interior of the Gangdong Hospital. Kim inspected the operating rooms, patient wards, and administrative offices.
Earlier this year, Kim declared 2025 the Year of Health Revolution, announcing plans to construct modern health facilities not only in Pyongyang but also in local cities and counties to enhance the national healthcare infrastructure.
North Korea’s health revolution initiative is being promoted as a key component of the Local Development 20×10 Policy. Implemented last year, this policy initially focused on constructing local factories and rural housing. It has since expanded to prioritize health facilities, multi-cultural centers, and grain management facilities as the three essential construction targets.