A Russia–North Korea friendship hospital will be built in Wonsan, North Korea.
According to TASS on the 22nd (local time), Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko attended a groundbreaking ceremony in Wonsan for a Russia–North Korea general hospital.
Minister Murashko said the project is the concrete implementation of what was agreed at the highest-level summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un, chairman of North Korea's State Affairs Commission.
Minister Murashko said, "Today's event was held as part of the Russia–North Korea 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty,' which aims to improve the welfare of the peoples of both countries," noting that healthcare is a core area of the treaty.
Minister Murashko said, "North Korean doctors have studied the experience of Russian specialists for years in a range of medical fields, including obstetrics and gynecology, organ transplantation, cardiovascular surgery and oncology," emphasizing medical exchanges between the two countries.
He added, "This hospital will contribute to public health in both countries and serve as a symbol of the strong friendship between Russia and North Korea."
Earlier, 38 North, a U.S. media outlet specializing in North Korea, reported that analysis of satellite images from commercial satellite company Planet Labs on the 10th showed a building with a helipad for helicopter takeoffs and landings had been constructed in the Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone in Wonsan, North Korea, and that the facility was presumed to be a hospital.