It has been reported that a significant number of the newly-built homes in flood-damaged North Hamgyong Province remain vacant despite being offered free of charge. Residents remain reluctant to live in the poorly constructed houses despite efforts by the authorities to promote the new buildings.
A Daily NK source in North Hamgyong Province reported on December 7 that over 10 percent of the new residential facilities appear unoccupied as residents refuse to move in. Some families have instead decided to move to other regions, fearing another flood.
“Some are planning to move in next spring after repairing the buildings themselves, worried that the walls may crack if heated due to the fact that the dry wall never set properly,” the source added.
“(The state) propaganda is announcing that a miracle has occurred in the region ‘turning misfortune into blessings,’ but no one agrees. They are actually unable to find enough people to accept the new homes, as many who were allocated to a new home have not moved in and lots of people are still missing after the flood,” the source said, noting that some who were missing would have defected.
The state-run Rodong Sinmun reported on November 14 that the construction of approximately 3,000 housing units had been completed, sufficient to accommodate 19,000 families in the flood-hit regions including Hoeryong, Musan, and Yonsa. Assuming that 10 percent of the homes remain vacant, this suggests that about 1,000 families have elected not to move in.
To address the problem, the authorities have reportedly announced through district offices that unaffected residents in the region can live in the vacant homes for free. Most see this as the regime taking credit for the provision of already-built houses as a gift from Kim Jong Un.
A separate source in North Hamgyong Province added, “It would normally be better to sell off [the residential rights to] one’s old house and move into a new one, but people are hesitant to do so because they question the structural integrity of the new buildings.”
Despite the complaints, many predict that the vacant homes will nonetheless be fully occupied by next spring as enough people will find it an improvement over their current situation.
“The homes are empty without electricity, appliances, or even a basic kiln. Residents have to prepare everything on their own. The state only provides some blankets,” the source said.
Kim Jong Un has yet to visit the floodstricken region, although “the regime keeps espousing his love and concern for the people,” he concluded.
