This visit marks a radical shift in the leader's stance, who had previously harshly criticized this same center for its poor state of conservation. North Korea's state television, KRT, has broadcasted images of the inauguration ceremony held on Tuesday, January 20. In a visual display designed to show the leader's closeness to the working class, Kim Jong-un, dressed in a black coat and dress shoes, was seen touring the modern facilities.
The tour was not without unusual moments by international standards: cameras captured the leader "entering a steam bath while talking to bathers" and even reported that he was seen "entering the women's bathroom" as part of his detailed inspection of the facilities. After completing the inspection of the premises, the leader expressed his full satisfaction with the outcome of the works, stating that "the facilities were well-balanced and the architectural elements harmoniously integrated with the surroundings."
Beyond the holiday aesthetics, this inspection trip has a profound political significance. The remodeling of Onpho is part of the preparations for an important party congress to be held next month, a key event where the regime's strategic lines will be set. Kim's visit also serves as a warning to the country's bureaucratic elite. According to reports, earlier this week the leader "dismissed Deputy Prime Minister Yang Sung-ho for 'irresponsibility' in a modernization project of a machinery plant." This contrast between the success of the Onpho complex and the punishment of senior officials for failures in other industrial sectors underscores the pressure that North Korean managers are under due to the Kim family's demands for immediate results.