North Korea completed construction of a large greenhouse complex built in flood-hit areas around Sinuiju, North Pyongan Province, and held a completion ceremony. As it was disclosed ahead of the 9th party congress, some interpret it as a clear move by the authorities to tout it as a flagship achievement.
Korean Central News Agency said on the 2nd that a completion ceremony was held the previous day for the newly built greenhouse complex farm in Sinuiju, and that State Affairs Commission Chair Kim Jong-un attended the site.
The greenhouse farm was established in areas around Wiwado, Sinuiju, which suffered heavy damage in the summer of 2024, and was introduced as being 1.5 times the size of Yeouido (2.9 ㎢). It reached the completion stage about a year after construction began in Feb. last year.
According to the report, Kim emphasized in his congratulatory speech at the ceremony that an area where flood damage had repeatedly occurred in the past has been transformed into a living and production base. In particular, it was conveyed that he framed the project's significance as enabling residents to settle stably and continue agricultural production with disaster-prevention facilities in place.
A large number of military personnel and young builders were mobilized for the project, and Kim spotlighted their role. He said, "As a proud creative achievement dedicated to the 9th party congress, they have once again proved their qualification to be confidently called the most powerful elite ranks of our revolution and its vanguard unit."
After touring the site, he also stressed, "We are now going through an important process of change for the fundamental transformation of the provinces," and "The construction of the Sinuiju greenhouse complex farm is one of the most extensive projects carried out during the 8th term of the party Central Committee."
Immediately after the event, Kim took commemorative photos with the soldier and young builders, ordered state commendations to be awarded to exemplary soldiers and young builders, and also held a monument unveiling. Attending the completion ceremony were Premier Pak Thae-song, Supreme People's Assembly Standing Committee Chairperson Choe Ryong-hae, party secretaries Jo Yong-won, Pak Jong-chon and Ri Il-hwan, Defense Minister No Kwang-chol, and Kim Chol-sam, chief secretary of the North Pyongan Provincial Committee, among other senior party, government and military officials, and it was also reported that party secretary Kim Tok-hun, who had not been seen much in public for some time, accompanied him.
North Korea has promoted the complex as a representative case of its provincial development policy by highlighting that it converted flood-hit areas into large-scale agricultural facilities. The participation of the youth organization Paektusan Hero Youth Shock Brigade in the construction is also being used as a device symbolizing mobilized loyalty and generational cohesion. As there were reports that Kim visited the site during his first on-the-spot guidance this year to encourage the young builders, North Korea is highly likely to repeatedly highlight the completion of the Sinuiju greenhouse complex as a core achievement during the party congress phase.