North Korea has paved roads near Mirim Airport, which is used as a military parade training ground, following an order from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a source inside North Korea told Daily NK on Thursday that “the Military Engineering Bureau has paved the roads at Mirim Airport with pitch in accordance with the Supreme Commander’s [Kim Jong Un’s] directive in late May to ensure safe training for soldiers and civilians.”
The “pitch” mentioned by the source is a solid or semi-solid black or dark brown hydrocarbon compound obtained as a residue from petroleum refining. Pitch is commonly used as a raw material for asphalt and in road paving.
“Earlier, the political department of the April 25 Hotel [exclusive accommodation for parade participants near Mirim Airport] submitted a proposal to the central leadership regarding the condition and management of the training ground. In response, a directive was issued [by Kim] out of concern [over the situation]. The road improvements were made to improve the functionality of the parade ground in accordance with the Supreme Commander’s instructions.”
He added: “The aim is to ensure that the ground won’t be cracked or damaged when various mechanized equipment is mobilized for rehearsals, allowing for safe and thorough preparation of the military parade.”
Essentially, this road paving work is aimed at repairing deteriorated roads to make them smooth and resilient for seamless parade training. The work suggests that North Korea will continue to conduct parade training at the site in the future.
Other roads near Mirim Airport are expected to get a makeover
Meanwhile, North Korea plans to expand the paving work to other roads near Mirim Airport.
“There are plans to do similar paving work on other roads at Mirim Airport,” the source said. “However, since the currently paved area is the most important area for training activities, discussions on the other areas are likely to continue after an evaluation.”
The area already paved in the area is modeled after Kim Il Sung Square, where welcoming crowds gather during parades. Regular streets have not yet been paved, and the source’s report suggests that these roads will be paved in the future.
“Discussions are underway on whether to expand the scope of paving activities to increase the safety and durability of the entire training ground, or to maintain only the currently completed area with approved funds and materials,” the source said. “For now, the Ministry of Defense, along with the general staff and political departments of the April 25 Hotel, is responsible for routine maintenance.”
Daily NK’s analysis of WorldView-2 satellite imagery (30 centimeter resolution) suggests that road paving at the Mirim Airport began around June 16 and was completed around June 27. In the most recent image, taken on July 14, construction appears to have begun on a nearby road leading to the airfield. The images also show a large number of vehicles on the road.
On July 9, Voice of America published a report with satellite imagery showing asphalt being laid on the surface of Mirim Airport roads that were previously made of cement or concrete.
Daily NK works with a network of sources living in North Korea, China, and elsewhere. Their identities remain anonymous for security reasons.
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