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Date : July 22, 2013
$2 Billion on Victory in the Fatherland Liberation War
   http://www.munhwa.com/news/view.html?no=2013071901030623037002 [873]
Kim Jong Eun is planning the biggest events to be held on the 60th anniversary of Victory in the Fatherland Liberation War,' which is the anniversary of the signing of the armistice treaty between North and South Korea, on the 27th of this month.
 
By spending almost $150 million, Kim Jong Eun is trying to complete the construction of the Memorial Hall of Victory in the Fatherland Liberation War and a cemetery for soldiers and a military parade. With 15,000 soldiers and 530 pieces of equipment mobilized for the parade, it seems to be shaping up into North Koreas largest and most expensive parade yet. According to a South Korean government official, North Korean spent almost $2.6 million on fuel for equipment during the 100-day practice for the military parade and at least $95 million on constructing the Memorial Hall of Victory in the Fatherland Liberation War.
 
Also, at the beginning of last year, Kim Jong Eun ordered the building of Masikryeong Ski Resort and encouraged construction to finish this year. At the beginning of this year, North Korea already signed contracts to purchase $7 million worth of ski equipment with a Swiss company. It normally takes at least 10 years to finish constructing various facilities, such as hotels, outdoor skating rinks, pools, 10 ski slopes, which are around 100,000m long and 40~120m wide, etc. However, Kim Jong Eun is urging people to finish construction in one year, so construction officials are risking their lives during construction and mobilized people are suffering. Also, because the construction is being rushed, there are concerns about poor construction. Kim Jong Eun insists that people will enjoy skiing after the resort is built, however, many North Koreans seem unenthusiastic about the project and have been complaining that Kims goals are unrealistic.
 
The budget for constructing additional facilities, such as a hotel, airport, repairing road networks, etc. near Masikryeong Ski Resort is almost $1.8 billion. Reports say that Kim Jong Eun is recruiting foreign countries investors to pay for the high construction costs. Instead, $1.8 billion could buy 5,000,000t of corns and feed the whole North Korean population for 16 months.

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