Kim Jong-un, the North's Chairperson of the State Affairs Commission, visited a hot spring resort he had strongly rebuked in the past for its operations and gave high marks to the remodeling results.
Korean Central News Agency reported on the 21st that the Chairperson attended the completion ceremony of the Onpho Workers' Rest Home, located in Kyongsong County, North Hamgyong Province, the previous day.
The Onpho Workers' Rest Home is North Korea's largest hot spring resort, built in the Onpho Hot Spring area designated as a natural monument. In July 2018, the Chairperson, through on-site guidance, ordered it to be completely rebuilt as a "comprehensive cultural leisure base and medical service base," after which remodeling work proceeded.
The Onpho Workers' Rest Home is North Korea's largest hot spring resort, built at the Onpho Hot Spring designated as a natural monument, and remodeling proceeded after the Chairperson conducted on-site guidance in July 2018 and ordered it to be changed into a "comprehensive cultural leisure base, medical service base."
After touring the facility, the Chairperson said satisfaction was felt, saying, "Each section is arranged practically and harmoniously, and the architectural elements blend amicably with the surrounding natural environment."
He also said, "When I visited here a few years ago, they had only hung a sign calling it a recreational facility, but the facilities were uncultured and the operations were unsanitary," again mentioning the poor management at the time.
He then said, "Seeing it newly rebuilt today as an excellent resort service base for the people, I feel rewarded."
Ri Il-hwan, the party's propaganda secretary, also said at the completion ceremony, "The change in the Onpho district began on the day in July 2018 when the Marshal visited the site," emphasizing that at the time, the Chairperson "sounded a grave alarm about the officials' ideology and work style" regarding the outdated facilities and poor service environment.
During a 2018 visit, the Chairperson harshly criticized the resort, saying, "It's worse than a fish tank," "It's truly shabby," and "If you manage and operate it this disgracefully, you will undo the achievements of the Suryong (Kim Il Sung) and the General (Kim Jong Il) and end up committing a crime." The move to publicly praise units that produced results after ordering improvements is seen as an effort to maintain tension in the bureaucracy and tighten discipline.
In fact, on the 19th, the Chairperson also visited the Ryongsong Machine Complex in Hamhung, South Hamgyong Province, and, after sharply rebuking on the spot Deputy Premier of the Cabinet Yang Sung-ho for causing setbacks in the modernization project, dismissed him.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson instructed officials at the Onpho Workers' Rest Home to open next month after completing operational preparations such as test runs of equipment. It is interpreted as an attempt to maximize publicity of achievements by opening in time with the expected 9th Workers' Party Congress next month.