Punishments are being handed down to those responsible for the construction
malfunctions contributing to the May 13th collapse of residential complex in downtown
Pyongyang, which catered to the affluent class, Party cadres, and other elites. The tragedy saw
over 300 people lose their lives, many of whom were women and children unable
to evacuate the building as it gave way, but the punitive measures against those responsible are purportedly
nothing more than a “slap on the wrist.”
The head of the 7th Bureau [of the Ministry of People’s
Armed Forces] and other officials summoned for investigation were expected to
receive severe punishments, but walked away with a minor “work without pay”
sentencing.
“The authorities have ended the investigation and are
claiming that those responsible [for the collapse] have been punished
severely,” a source in Pyongyang reported to Daily NK on September 22nd.
“However, in reality, the head of the 7th Bureau [of the Ministry of People’s
Armed Forces] and related officials have not even been sent to any sort of
labor training or political prison camps, they just have to work without pay.”
Details regarding the duration of the sentence could not be verified.
The source went on to explain that the present head of the 7th Bureau was selected by Kim Jong Eun, and therefore will not be held responsible to the extent that he should. “Nobody is going to be held accountable for those lost lives; the perpetrators are going to get away with what they did relatively unscathed,” he explained.
Not only that, those responsible for the poor building regulations that
brought on the collapse will be right back at the complex’s reconstruction site. “Under the Marshal’s [Kim Jong Eun] command, the speed of
construction has been much faster than before; the framework for the new
structure has already been completed,” the source went on, explaining that the authorities aim to complete
the reconstruction by October 10th, in honor of the the day the Chosun Workers’
Party was founded.
Authorities have made no mention of the key contributing
factor of the incident: “speed battles” emphasized for construction efforts. Focus only goes so far as to how quickly something can be constructed with no regard for safety or quality. They continue to stress its importance in the residential complex’s reconstruction, stating, “Under the Marshal’s plans the world will be shocked at the speed the
housing structure will be built.” These conditions have most residents
speculating a second tragedy to be only a matter of time. Predictions by experts that the collapse would not induce any policy changes have been sufficiently proved by these recent developments.
Outraged by the lack of accountability, residents complain among
themselves, too fearful of repercussion to voice their grievances in front of officials, “So
many people died, how could they [the authorities] not do anything about it?,”
and, “If they keep on like that, people are going to scared to step anywhere.”
Indeed, lack of building codes and a chronic lack of good
quality concrete and steel reinforcements are pervasive problems in North
Korea. Residents are aware that “those Party cadres aren’t living
on a salary, they’re getting their money from bribes,” meaning that even in the
event that sufficient materials appear for the reconstruction, they are sure to
be siphoned off and sold.
“Residents who lost not only their homes, but family members
as well, feel that someone must be held accountable. It’s unfair, but they have
to to control the urge to say anything for fear of what repercussions may
befall them,” the source said. Moreover, the authorities have made no effort to offer
anything in the way of compensation to the bereaved families, rather attempting
to placate them with the promise that the new homes will be finished soon.
“There are many who do not wish to return to the building
even after its completion, but they admit there is little to no choice. They have to go somewhere and can’t continue to go homeless and live off of others,” he
concluded.
