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North Korea's Kim hails inauguration of modern regional hospital

Published: 20 Nov. 2025, 09:31 Updated: 20 Nov. 2025, 18:06

This file image, captured from the Korean Central Television on Oct. 31, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, center, inspecting Kangdong County Hospital on Oct. 30, while its construction neared completion. [KOREAN CENTRAL TELEVISION]

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has attended a ceremony to launch the first modern hospital built under the country's regional medical center construction plan, calling its completion in nine months a "real transformation."

Kim attended the inauguration ceremony for Kangdong County Hospital on Wednesday, the first hospital completed under his ongoing development push to build factories and medical centers across the country to promote regional development, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

"This is a moment [...] when we are seeing the first entity of modern regional hospitals," Kim said in his speech during the ceremony. "Our struggle, aimed at bringing a beautiful and vibrant life to the regional people, has now entered a comprehensive and full-scale stage."

Proclaiming the inauguration in the same year as the groundbreaking is the "standard speed" of achieving the country's ideals, Kim also said, calling it the country's "mettle" and the speed of transformation and advance,

The hospital has completely reversed the existing conception of a regional hospital, Kim said, adding that the course of its construction was exemplary and that its operation will serve as a model of the development of public health in regional areas.

The completion ceremony of the Kangdong County Hospital was held on Nov. 19, the Rodong Sinmun reported Nov. 20. [RODONG SINMUN]

Since last year, Kim's regime has been following its Regional Development 20X10 Policy, aimed at building modern factories in 20 regional areas every year over a 10-year period to improve the living standards in rural regions.

As part of the plan, the country has also been seeking to erect modern hospitals and public amenities in regional areas to close the urban-rural gap, with the construction of Kangdong County Hospital launched in February this year,

During Wednesday's speech, Kim said that, including Kangdong County Hospital, six modern hospitals will be inaugurated across the country this year, adding that "We can proudly say that this is a real transformation."

Despite the North's claimed modernization of its public health service, it remains unclear whether it will be able to secure the necessary medical equipment to furnish new modern hospitals amid continuing international sanctions on the country.

Yonhap