North Korea's socialist 'paradise' city Samjiyon — in pictures
Kim Jong Un has celebrated the completion of a signature project near the sacred mountain where his father is supposed to have been born. State media described Samjiyon as "an epitome of modern civilization."
Samjiyon, revamped
North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un (second from right) commemorated the completion of the revamped city of Samjiyon. Kim hailed the city as "an epitome of modern civilization."
Supposed birthplace of Kim Jong Il
The Samjiyon township lies near the Paektu Mountain about 15 kilometers (9 miles) away from Yalu River that separates North Korea and China. The site holds a holy status in the country as the apparent birth place of Kim Jong Un's father and predecessor, Kim Jong Il.
Resort city
Samjiyon, described as a "mountainous modern city under socialism," provides housing for 4,000 families, according to state news agency KCNA. The city also features a hospital, cultural facilities and a ski resort.
Big initiative
The opening of Samjiyon also featured a fireworks display and thunderous jubilation. The city is one of the largest economic initiatives Kim has undertaken as part of his drive for a "self-reliant economy" amid US sanctions.
'Ordeals and difficulties'
State media said the project was completed despite "the worst trials" and "ordeals and difficulties," without elaborating. Construction was delayed due to shortages on construction materials and labor as a result of international sanctions imposed to curb the country's nuclear program.
Youth labor brigade
The delays in construction prompted Pyongyang to mobilize youth labor brigades. North Korean defectors and human rights activists likened the initiative to "slave labor" as the participants got no pay, poor food and were forced to work more than 12 hours a day for up to 10 years. The return for the labor was better chances to enter a university or admission to the powerful Workers' Party.