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Curzon
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Curzon

Date

June 5th, 2005

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The Ryugong to be completed!

I wrote about North Korea’s unsettling hotel, the Ryugong, in April. Marmot now has updated news on the future of the structure: the taxpayers of the ROK city of Incheon are going to pay US$1 billion to repair the structure.

How did poor Incheon denizens get stuck with this? Their mayor headed off to North Korea to make a co-hosting bid with Pyongyang for the 2013 Asian Games. I guess he got his agreement, but he did also got stuck with one hell of a bar tab.

Check out Marmot for the full story.

UPDATE: Great comment at the Marmot by Cowboy Architect Kor, reprinted here:

As an Architect I can tell you that most likely the building is not structural sound. In order to building a 1,100 foot tall structure the concrete must develop very high compressive strengths. This requires very high tech concrete. Oridnary gravel, sand, cement, and water can’t do it. In addition the building has stood unoccupied and not maintained for almost 15 years. Rain, snow, freezing weather have all done damage.

My guess is, Inchoen is making promises just get get Pyongyang’s cooperation. It fascinated me what South Korea will do to prevent the collapse of a building and regime. They call it the Unification Minister, but in reality it’s all about how to prevent it. S. Korea saw what happened to Germany and knows the Korean ecomony could not handle it.

The hotel is a classic metaphor for the entire county of NK and the promise to fix it is a classic metaphor for the south attitude.

Comments to this entry

Gabriel Mihalache
June 5, 2005
9:09 am
For some unknown reason, this structure echoes the phrase "trickle down economics" in my head.
Stygius
June 5, 2005
4:47 pm
Lovely. To continue the metaphor, how much of that $1b will even be spent on the building, rather than "redirected"? And what are the odds that NK will ever have a serious shot at co-hosting the Olympics? The West wouldn't stand for it.

Although the site committee visits might be a good instrument to conduct a little espionage and recruiting........
Ron Patterson
June 6, 2005
4:55 am
No money from the South Koreans will go to the hotel. Probably no money at all will be sent. Great comment by the Cowboy archeitect. the south fears reunification. It would mean an economic collapse. The South is attempting to get Kim Jong Il to immplement reform. they have been bribing him for a decade with loans and assistance. What they have gotten is a nuclear weopons program. This nightmare will not end until the world shoulders the responsibility it has avoided and removes the maniac. By whatever means!! Allowing the North Korean people to live in slavery, is a crime, because we could remove Kim. Why is the United States and five other nations negotiating with a group of murderers and slavers. Cowardice!
Dan
June 7, 2005
2:56 am
For some unknown reason, this structure echoes the phrase "Keynesian demand management"Â? in my head.
Ron Patterson
June 7, 2005
3:47 pm
If the U.S had not intervened Korea woould still be under Japanese rule. The best thing that coulkd happen to the Koreans is to be led into the modern world by the benevolent government of japan. Far better that korea be ruloed by the emperor of Japan than the current regime of louts which control it. Anti-american demonstranstions after America gave them 2.5 billion in aid to develop their industry. No appreciation for American help, nothing but hatred. Let Japan rule Korea, teach them some manners!! Korean elites have always sold their countries interest to the hjighest bidder then blamed America.
Dan
June 7, 2005
3:54 pm
The best thing that coulkd happen to the Koreans is to be led into the modern world by the benevolent government of japan.

Agreed. Like the British Empire, the Japanese Empire was often better than succeeding regimes.
Curzon
June 7, 2005
3:57 pm
Holy crap, you guys are about to start a war...