North Korea border town sees construction boom after floods

Imports of bricks and cement soar as Kim Jong Un vows to build back better

20241014N North Korea construction 1

Dozens of workers labor at a construction site in North Korea as seen from the Chinese city of Dandong on Oct. 7. (Photo by Kohei Fujimura)

KOHEI FUJIMURA, Nikkei staff writer

DANDONG, China -- High-rise buildings are springing up in a flood-ravaged North Korean border city, supplied by a sharp rise in imports of building materials from China.

From the Chinese side of the Yalu River, at least four reinforced concrete buildings of 10 stories or higher could be seen under construction in Sinuiju last week. They stand out in what had been a squat skyline as recently as late August.

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