North Korean soldiers in Kangwon Province were sent to work on construction projects in the Mt. Kumgang Tourist Region from late last year, Daily NK has learned.

“After visiting Kangwon Province late last year, the Supreme Leader [North Korean leader Kim Jong Un] ordered new construction in the Mt. Kumgang Tourist Region and soldiers stationed in Kangwon Province were sent to work on the projects,” a Kangwon Province-based source told Daily NK yesterday.

Kim’s orders reportedly included instructions that Mt. Kumgang become a “famous mountain envied by the world.” He also ordered that the construction work focus on quality to ensure the buildings stand for “10,000 years” while also adhering to Korean-style architectural design as much as possible.

“There were slogans posted all around promoting the idea that Mt. Kumgang needs to become a [world] famous mountain – just like Samjiyon had become a city filled with world-class buildings,” the source said. “Soldiers are tearing down old houses and constructing new apartment buildings. They are also expanding the roads.”

There is also construction work being done on hotels, cultural and entertainment facilities and even sports-related facilities such as a golf course, the source added.

Hotels built by South Korea are reportedly still standing, but could be demolished “at any time” if full-fledged construction efforts in the zone begin, according to the source.

“The stance of the [North Korean communist] party is that buildings constructed by the South will be demolished only after receiving permission from the South [Koreans],” the source told Daily NK, who further speculated that, “The buildings built by South [Korea] are considered ‘lacking in national character’ so this means they could be demolished at any time.”

The source further told Daily NK that while most of the country’s construction efforts are currently focused on the Pyongyang General Hospital, projects in Samjiyon and the Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone, more construction workers could be sent to Mt. Kumgang once the leadership decides to expand construction efforts.

“Only a small number of soldiers are working on the Mt. Kumgang projects because there are so many other major national construction projects going on,” he said.