North Korean Kim fires officials for extortion linked to hospital project

SEOUL (Reuters) – The North Korean leader fired officials building a hospital after pressuring the public for contributions, the media reported Monday, the second reprimand linked to the high-profile project in a country rarely they advertise such problems.

Leader Kim Jong Un ordered the construction of Pyongyang General Hospital for the 75th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers’ Party in October, calling it a “top priority” to improve public health in the face of the new coronavirus.

But during his last visit to the site, Kim fired a group of project managers, called the construction coordination commission, for not allocating an adequate budget and supplying equipment and materials for ordinary citizens.

“He scolded them severely for overwhelming people by encouraging all kinds of ‘assistance,'” the state news agency KCNA reported, calling the incident a “serious digression” of party policy.

KCNA posted photos of a serious-looking Kim speaking to the site with officials wearing masks.

It was his second reprimand for managers this month. He previously criticized them for causing delays with “inattention” and for violating unspecified anti-epidemic rules.

Kim praised the project’s builders for their rapid progress despite “difficult situations,” but told the party to “investigate the performance of the construction coordination commission as a whole and replace all responsible officials.” KCNA reported.

Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, said the layoffs suggested a setback for a prestigious project and hinted at broader difficulties facing the economy.

“It indicates possible delays and further obstacles to meeting the October deadline due to difficulties in mobilizing resources due to the pandemic and sanctions,” said Yang.

North Korea has not reported any cases of the coronavirus, but has taken intensive preventive measures, including banning meetings, an order to wear masks, and mandatory quarantines for border workers.