South Pyongan officials told to silence criticism of Pyongyang construction

In South Pyongan province, North Korean authorities have issued a directive to curb public criticism of the massive construction project underway in Pyongyang. Following months of open dissent, the provincial party committee declared that the project is consuming significant materials and labor resources from the rest of the country.

A local source revealed that residents expressed dissatisfaction with the large-scale construction in Pyongyang, alleging that authorities were depleting the nation's resources and manpower. The party committee swiftly responded by issuing an order to suppress these complaints, labeling them as a grave deviation from the socialist system.

Shock brigades, mobile labor units that North Korea has previously deployed for major construction projects, have also been deployed in Pyongsong city in South Pyongan province. These brigades have fueled concerns among local factories, as employees are being diverted to support the construction effort, straining local resources and leaving factories short-staffed.

The provincial party committee has instructed officials to monitor each other closely, reporting anyone who fails to view the construction project as a national pride matter or complains about its difficulty. This directive highlights the tension between Pyongyang's exterior beautification at the expense of the provinces' well-being, a contradiction facing North Korea's leadership.