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North Korea Admits to ‘Serious’ Building Collapse North Korea Reports a ‘Serious’ Building Collapse
(about 9 hours later)
SEOUL, South Korea — A 23-story apartment building that may have housed more than 90 families collapsed in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, last week, a South Korean government official said on Sunday, after the North reported a “serious” accident at a construction site. SEOUL, South Korea — A 23-story apartment building that may have housed more than 90 families collapsed last week in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, a South Korean government official said Sunday after the North reported a “serious” accident at a construction site.
Earlier Sunday, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency reported that the accident occurred at an apartment construction site in the Pyongchon district of Pyongyang on Tuesday, blaming “sloppy building” and “irresponsible supervision and control.” It said there were “human casualties” but did not give figures. Earlier Sunday, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency reported that the accident occurred Tuesday in the Pyongchon district of Pyongyang, blaming “sloppy building” and “irresponsible supervision and control.” It said there were “human casualties” but did not give figures.
But confirming the news to the South Korean news media on condition of anonymity, an official at the Ministry of Unification in Seoul said on Sunday that “a considerable number of people” may have died in the accident. An official at the Ministry of Unification in Seoul, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Sunday that “a considerable number of people” might have died.
The North Korean news agency said that the Pyongyang government had organized a major rescue operation. It also reported a parade of senior government and ruling Workers’ Party officials apologizing to the bereaved families and district residents. The North Korean news agency said the government had organized a major rescue operation. It also reported that senior government and ruling Workers’ Party officials had apologized to bereaved families and district residents. In a rare admission of a government failure, Choe Pu-il, the minister of the people’s security, consoled the families, holding himself and his agency responsible for an “unpardonable crime,” according to the North Korean news media.
The South Korean official said that the 23-story building was under construction but was believed to have already housed as many as 92 families. In the North, families often move into an apartment building even before it is completed, the official said. The South Korean official said that the building was under construction but that as many as 92 families were believed to be living there already. In the North, families often move into an apartment building before it is completed, the official said.
According to the North Korean news agency, the rescue operation ended Saturday. On Sunday, the Rodong Sinmun, the main party newspaper, and other North Korean news media carried photos showing senior officials bowing in apology before what appeared to be a crowd of district residents gathered in a construction site. According to the North Korean news agency, the rescue operation ended Saturday. On Sunday, Rodong Sinmun, the main party newspaper, and other North Korean news media carried photographs showing senior officials bowing in apology — another rare gesture of public contrition for the North’s ruling elite — before what appeared to be a crowd of district residents gathered at a construction site.
Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, “sat up all night, feeling painful after being told about the accident,” the North Korean report quoted Kim Su-gil, a senior party secretary in Pyongyang, as saying. Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, “sat up all night, feeling painful after being told about the accident,” the North Korean report said, quoting Kim Su-gil, a senior party secretary in Pyongyang.
Under Kim Jong-un’s rule, North Korea has initiated a slew of building projects, including a ski resort, amusement parks and tall apartment buildings in Pyongyang and elsewhere. Pyongyang is home to those most loyal to Mr. Kim’s government. Since taking over as the country’s top leader after the death of his father in late 2011, Kim Jong-un has poured resources into revamping Pyongyang, the home to those most loyal to his government, setting off a building boom in the showpiece city. Other projects around the country include a ski resort and amusement parks.
His government emphasized speed in building projects, setting deadlines and exhorting soldiers and workers at the work sites to finish their tasks ahead of time. Although recent visitors to Pyongyang have testified to the city’s face-lift under Mr. Kim, outside analysts say the young leader has spent resources on projects that have yielded quick results, aimed largely at pleasing the country’s elites while much of the population has suffered chronic food shortages. Following the examples of his father and grandfather, Mr. Kim has pushed for the rapid completion of the construction projects, setting deadlines and exhorting soldiers and workers at the sites to finish their tasks ahead of time.
Although defectors from the North have reported frequent building accidents, it is rare for its government to report them. The South Korean news media speculated that the North’s swift reporting of the accident may indicate a high death toll. The last time North Korea admitted to a major accident was in 2004, when an explosion at a train station in Ryongchon, a city near the border with China, killed or injured hundreds of people. Although defectors from the North have reported frequent building accidents, it is rare for the government to report them. The South Korean news media speculated that the North’s swift reporting of the accident might indicate a high death toll. The last time North Korea acknowledged a major accident was in 2004 when an explosion at a train station in Ryongchon, near the border with China, killed or injured hundreds of people.
Compared with his reclusive late father, Kim Jong-il, Kim Jong-un has also been casting himself as a hands-on leader more perceptive about the people’s well-being. The North’s state-run news media often shows him meeting ordinary people and pointing out mistakes committed by the local government and party officials. Mr. Kim, whose father, Kim Jong-il, was considered more reclusive, has been casting himself as a hands-on leader who is more concerned about the people’s well-being. The North’s state-run news media often shows him meeting citizens and pointing out mistakes committed by the local government and party officials.
The report of the North Korean accident came as South Korea was struggling to overcome the trauma of the sinking of a ferry on April 16 that left 304 people dead or missing, the vast majority of them high school students. North Korea has recently cited the ferry disaster in its criticism of South Korea. The South Korean government of President Park Geun-hye has been under growing public pressure for failing to prevent the disaster and mishandling the rescue operations. South Korean media speculated on Sunday that by acknowledging the disaster and making his government quickly apologize, Mr. Kim was trying to pre-empt criticism of his policies and sending a message to his people that he is different from the South Korean president, Park Geun-hye. Ms. Park’s government has been under growing public pressure for failing to prevent and mishandling the response to the sinking of a ferry on April 16 that left 304 people dead or missing, the vast majority of them high school students, and she was criticized for a tardy apology over the disaster.
Thousands of people holding candles rallied in central Seoul on Saturday evening, some of them calling on Ms. Park to step down. The police blocked hundreds of them from marching on her presidential palace and detained 115 for questioning.
“We won’t stay put!” read some of the signs held by antigovernment protesters, who said they could no longer trust Ms. Park’s government. Hundreds of students were trapped inside the ferry after the ship’s crew repeatedly urged them to stay put. The first coast guard officials to arrive at the scene made little effort to reach inside the dangerously listing vessel.