Ryomyong New Town

Ryomyong New Town (Korean: 려명거리신도시) refers to a new town located in Pyongyang, North Korea. The exact location is Ryomyong Avenue which refers from Yongsaengtap to Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Taesong-guyok.[1]

Ryomyong New Town
Korean name
Chosŏn'gŭl
려명거리신도시
Revised RomanizationRyeomyeong-geo Risindosi
McCune–ReischauerRyŏmyŏnggŏ Risintosi

Name

The name "Ryomyong" means "dawn" in Korean language.[2][3] The name is a symbolic reference to former North Korean President Kim Il-sung, who is sometimes called "The Sun of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea" (i.e., The Sun of North Korea). [4]

Project

The project was proposed by Kim Jong Un in March 2016[1] and the planned completion was in August of the same year.[5] There were several outdated buildings in Ryomyong Avenue, but due to the plan, all of them were demolished. Construction was started in March 2016.

It consists of 40 of new condominiums, 33 of refurbished condominiums and 34 of public facilities including 6 schools, 3 kindergartens and 3 nurseries.[6] Also, 7 buildings for Kim Il Sung University will be built and 15 of commercial buildings will be constructed.[6] Around the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, only small and idyllic buildings will be built due to the height restrictions. The motto is 'Green city, energy-reduced city'.[6]

The construction was started in March 2016 and topped-out in August of the same year. Total 1.7 billion won were used and the total areas are 151500㎡.[6]

Ryomyong Condominium
Main article: Ryomyong Condominium

This condominium has 82 stories, with a height of 270 m.[6] Construction was started in March 2016 but is temporarily on-hold due to a flood incident in North Hamgyong province,[7] but restarted and it was estimated to complete on 15 April 2017.[8]

The condominium is de facto the highest building of North Korea, since Ryugyong Hotel (de jure the highest building) is only topped-out in 1992 and keep unsure in 2017.

Construction was completed by 13 April 2017 and officially opened just after 2 days.

Criticism

Poor construction

Construction has been described as rushed, with 270m of condominium built in just 74 days.[9] This is quite short compared to other well-known skyscrapers such as Petronas Twin Tower (4~5 years) and Burj Khalifa (5 years). A South Korean expert said, "To build 270m of skyscraper, construction should be done for at least 2 years or more."[10]

Another 23-story apartment building in Pyongchon-guyok, constructed in a similar manner, collapsed in P'yŏngch'ŏn district around May 18, 2014, potentially killing hundreds of people. The cause of the collapse has been officially declared by North’s official Korean Central News Agency as “irresponsible supervision and control”.[11][12]

Relation to other building projects

The new town is one of a number of "monumental" projects 2012-2017 including the Pyongyang Sci-Tech Complex, new Natural History Museum, new People’s Open-air Ice Rink, Changjon Street (창전거리), Unha Scientists Street, Wisong Scientists Street (위성과학자거리), Mirae Street and Ryomyong Street.[13]

References
  1. 김세진. "김정은 "우리 식대로 잘 산다" 려명거리 건설 지시". imnews.imbc.com. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
  2. "려명 : 네이버 국어사전". krdic.naver.com. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
  3. "여명 : 네이버 국어사전". krdic.naver.com. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
  4. "verbotenebilder". Retrieved 2017-10-17.
  5. "KBS NEWS". news.kbs.co.kr. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
  6. "[화보] 평양에 82층 아파트와 北 여성 노동자들 - 노컷뉴스". nocutnews.co.kr. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
  7. "北 "려명거리 건설중지…200일전투인력 함경북도 피해복구 투입"". yonhapnews.co.kr. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
  9. "북한, 70층 아파트 골조공사 74일만에 끝내…안전 괜찮나? | 연합뉴스TV :: 대한민국 뉴스의 시작. 채널 23". yonhapnewstv.co.kr. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
  10. "KBS NEWS". news.kbs.co.kr. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
  11. http://mashable.com/2014/05/18/north-korea-apology-building-collapse/
  12. "'하루에 아파트 1층씩'…지금 평양은 대규모 '날림' 공사중?". news1.kr. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
  13. Pyongyang Times 8 June 2017 - This is my new home "In retrospect, for the past five years, lots of monumental structures and modern factories have sprung up in Pyongyang, including the Sci-Tech Complex, Natural History Museum and People’s Open-air Ice Rink. And five new streets have been built in the period, namely Changjon, Unha Scientists, Wisong Scientists, Mirae and Ryomyong streets. In other words, every year has witnessed a street coming into being."
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