North Korea’s latest slippery slope

North Korea's latest megaproject is intended to show that the country – often derided for its poverty and isolation - is as civilised and advanced as any other.

North Korean propaganda that reads, “Full attack. March forward. Let’s absolutely finish building Masik Pass ski resort within this year by launching a full aggressive war and full battle” stands at tShow more

MASIK PASS // Kim Tae Yong, the secretary-general of North Korea’s ski association, views the sprawling alpine landscape before him with unabashed pride.

Facing a strong, cold wind, he points to a dip in the tree-covered mountains and says the sunrise there is a sight of unmatched beauty, worthy of the nation’s supreme leader, Kim Jong-un.

This is the Masik Pass ski resort, North Korea’s latest megaproject, the product of 10 months of furious labour intended to show that this country – often derided for its poverty and isolation – is as civilised and advanced as any other.

The complex of ski runs and chalets will formally open tomorrow, although late last month the main hotels appeared to be little more than shells, the access roads were potholed and foundations were still being dug for other buildings.

Who will ski here? Perhaps Kim Jong-un, who reportedly enjoyed the sport as a teenager studying in Switzerland. By the ski official’s estimate, there are about 5,500 skiers in this country of 24 million — a skiing population of 0.02 per cent.

Even so, as he sweeps his hand over the scene, Mr Kim displays no doubt that what his country needs at present is a multimillion-dollar ski resort in the secluded depths of North Korea’s east coast. He bristles at the suggestion Masik will be a playground for the nation’s elite and a trickle of eccentric tourists.

The road to the resort passes brightly coloured propaganda posters and ubiquitous slogans in blood-red letters. The next sight is rows of barracks for workers.

Beyond that, hundreds of soldier-builders in drab olive-coloured uniforms – “shock brigades” assigned to especially urgent and difficult tasks – scour the slopes. Some, carrying concrete blocks on their backs, look to be barely teenagers. Other workers pound at the stone with hammers. Young women march with shovels over their shoulders. Minivans equipped with loudspeakers blast patriotic music into the crisp mountain air.

Masik’s ski runs – at present just long stretches of bright-brown dirt dotted with rocks – cut their way through the trees to converge at the hotel construction site below. Two simple lifts have been installed but neither was working.

North Korea has a tradition of diving into lavish projects, no matter their relevance to larger economic conundrums, such as producing reliable electricity or adequate food.

But why a luxury ski resort? With South Korea to host the 2018 Winter Olympics, there is little doubt Pyongyang felt it had to do something lest it be outdone again by its prosperous southern brethren.

Ski chief Mr Kim, who competed in international cross-country competitions, said Masik was floated as a potential venue for the 2018 Games, but Seoul turned that offer down.

He vowed that with Masik as a training centre, North Korea would have a world champion in a few years. So far, it has won two Winter Games medals, in speed skating.

Outside the North Korean bubble, the world’s attention has been on how Kim Jong-un has pushed ahead with his late father’s strategy of establishing North Korea as a nuclear state, no matter the cost in lost trade and international sanctions.

Internally, it is not forgotten that Kim Jong-un has said improving the economy is as important as eveloping nuclear weapons. The leader and his coterie of advisers have vowed repeatedly to lift the standard of living, which is one of the world’s lowest and, if left unchecked, could lead to domestic instability.

They have focused on boosting tourism, providing the impoverished country with the accoutrements of a “civilised” nation and encouraging a broader interest in sports. The Masik Pass project fits nicely with all three policy goals.

“These kinds of projects are no more a boondoggle than say, hosting the Olympics or the World Cup,” said Andray Abrahamian, the executive director of Choson Exchange, a Singapore-based non-profit organisation that aims to build North Korean business savvy and economic growth. “The financial costs are very high, but the broader social gains, which don’t show up on a balance sheet, are deemed to be higher.”

With the clock ticking, the pace is frenetic. North Korean media recently claimed workers are “carrying out their daily quotas at more than 200 per cent”.

As recently as last week worker brigades were scrambling to finish the two main hotels, but the big concern for Mr Kim is the ski lifts.

Last month, the Swiss government blocked plans for a company to sell North Korea Dh28.3 million worth of lifts and cable car equipment because of new sanctions barring the sale of luxury goods to the North.

Mr Kim called it “a pity” but said Masik Pass will have three functioning lifts this year. “We can make nuclear weapons and rockets,” he said. “We can build a ski lift.”

* Associated Press