North Korean state media reported on Feb. 13 that the Hwasong apartment project groundbreaking ceremony was held on Feb. 12. (Rodong Sinmun-News1)

North Korean authorities have issued an order to military education-related organizations, including Kim Il Sung Military University, to deploy personnel for the construction of 10,000 new housing units in Pyongyang’s Hwasong area.

According to a Daily NK source in Pyongyang on Tuesday, the Ministry of Defense issued the order on Feb. 13, calling on the recipients to respond with a loyal “Yes, sir!” to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s call to build yet another 10,000 housing units in the “revolutionary capital.”

Notably, the order was issued the day after Kim attended the groundbreaking for the construction of the apartments. 

Basically, it underscored that Kim — who has been unable to produce economic results that effectively bolster his authority in the 10 years since he took power — has called on the military to play a major role this year in achieving the goal of stabilizing economic livelihoods through “construction politics.”

In the order, the Ministry of Defense called on units to respond to the expectations of the party, which hopes to open an age of “great prosperity in construction” with a “sea change” by producing clear results in housing construction.

Another glimpse of the intentions of the North Korean leadership can be found in the fact that military education institutions rather than regular combat units are being mobilized for the construction. 

Cadets from military academies and officer training schools were deployed in months-long shifts during last year’s construction of 10,000 housing units in Pyongyang’s Songsin and Songhwa areas. This year’s construction will presumably follow a similar pattern.

The authorities also clearly aim to actively mobilize idle personnel while emphasizing how the “entire party, entire people and entire military” must carry out construction work together.

The source said the party has ordered that the entire nation take part in a “life-or-death” effort to achieve efforts to carry out, supply, and otherwise support construction efforts, thinking of these projects as a “second post-war reconstruction.” In this situation, the authorities believe it is better to mobilize more soldiers or military school cadets “who receive food from the state,” he added. 

However, military academy cadets are not fully embracing the authorities’ call for them to become the “tip of the spear” of construction efforts.

The source said students are sneering at the order, saying, “We come to school to become military and political leaders, but leave as construction workers.”

Meanwhile, military academies and officer training schools across the country have also been tasked with other construction tasks besides Kim’s prized Hwasong apartment project in Pyongyang.

Specifically, the Ministry of Defense issued orders to schools and students according to region, service and specialty, including Kim Il Sung Military University, Kim Jong Il University of Military Politics and Kim Il Sung University of Politics in Pyongyang, the Air Force Academy in North Hamgyong Province, and the “Navy Academy” in South Hamgyong Province.

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