Pyongyang: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended a ceremony marking the completion of 10,000 new housing units in a newly developed town in Pyongyang on the birth anniversary of his grandfather and national founder Kim Il-sung, the North's state media reported Wednesday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim participated in the completion ceremony for the third-stage housing section of the newly developed Hwasong area in the capital on Tuesday, coinciding with the 113th birth anniversary of Kim Il-sung. Pyongyang's northeastern district of Hwasong, along with Songhwa, has been developed under a five-year plan revealed by Kim in 2021 to construct 10,000 housing units in the capital annually.

The first set of 10,000 apartments was finished in Songhwa the following year, followed by 20,000 more units constructed in the first- and second-stage sections of Hwasong between 2023 and 2024. The recent completion of the third-stage section increases the total number of new apartments to 40,000, with Kim asserting that the completion of the final fourth-stage section will address housing issues in the capital area.

The housing construction, alongside another significant construction plan to develop rural regions known as the "Regional Development 20X10 Policy," is Kim's initiative aimed at enhancing the living standards of the populace. The KCNA quoted Kim during Tuesday's ceremony expressing regret for providing the modern apartment houses only now, while also stating his determination to undertake more work for the people.

Kim also inaugurated the event by cutting the ribbon and meeting with workers and senior citizens who will soon reside in the new apartments, with prominent cadres present, including Premier Pak Thae-song, as reported by the KCNA. Kim's presence at the event marks his fourth visit to the third-stage section of the Hwasong new town, including the groundbreaking ceremony last year and two additional visits in March and April during the construction phase.

Kim appears to have selected the founder's birthday, recognized as the most significant national holiday in North Korea, as the date for the completion ceremony to garner public support and strengthen his leadership.