(Kim Jong Un Inspects Work At Masik Pass Ski Area Recently)
North Korea, officially named the Democratic Peoples’ Republic of Korea (DPRK), is working on a major ski area with 110km of piste for all abilities, according to a report from the country’s news agency in capital Pyongyang.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is reported to have made a recent visit to the site of the Masik Pass Skiing Ground which is currently under construction by the Korean People’s Army.
Kim Jong Un said that the ski area is being built in a location best suited to reliable snow cover and for easy access from the capital via the Pyongyang-Wonsan tourist motorway nearby.
Kim Jong Un climbed to the top of the ski area 1360m above the sea level and inspected progress with the centre’s construction, including a ski lift, hotel and heliport.
Kim Jong Un said the Party was determined to build the skiing ground into a world class one and called on the soldier-builders to accelerate the construction so that the skiing ground may be operational for the coming winter 2013-14.
He also gave instructions for better drainage, more first- aid stations on the slopes and lift operation monitoring while also underlined the need to preserve the ecological environment and prevent pollution while building the skiing ground.
Kim Jong Un also called for the proper setting up of an operating body to manage and oversee the remainder of the construction and then the running of the centre as well as the production of skis and other winter sports equipment for use there.
Masik Pass will not be DPRK’s first ski area, although with 110km of piste it will be by far the largest in the country and in Asia and among the biggest areas by slope length in the world.
North Koreans have been skiing since at least the 1980s on Mt Paektu near Lake Samjiyon which has comprehensive winter sports facilities including a ski jump at Pegaebong Sports Village.
Other countries in the region are also developing ski areas, if not on the scale of Masik Pass. Last winter a new ski area opened in China at Changbaishan close to the North Korean border.
