Skip to main content

North Korea astounds transport sector with road development plan

North Korea claims that it is establishing a strategic plan that will lift the country's struggling economy into prosperity as early as 2012. According to a missive from the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), a 10 year economic plan has been unveiled that will see a total of US$100 billion being invested by the nation in 12 strategic sectors.
February 10, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
RSSNorth Korea claims that it is establishing a strategic plan that will lift the country's struggling economy into prosperity as early as 2012. According to a missive from the 5710 Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), a 10 year economic plan has been unveiled that will see a total of US$100 billion being invested by the nation in 12 strategic sectors. It will also introduce the State General Bureau for Economic Development to deploy and oversee the plan. A key facet of the plan is for the construction of some 3,000km of roads. Exactly what will be driven on these new roads is as yet unclear. The country's ruling military elite are amongst the small minority of people who are in a position to own personal vehicles. Other than that, North Korea's military is the country's largest user of vehicles. The country also suffers from massive fuel shortages (of all types of fossil fuels) that result in whole areas of its national grid being closed down to conserve power, in addition to hindering vehicle transportation. It would seem logical that any new highways would therefore have to be designed around using bicycles as transportation, given that these do not rely on fuel for motive power.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Kansas road and bridge funding will help develop economy
    March 24, 2017
    A new report by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association’s (ARTBA) identifies the economic gains from road development in Kansas.
  • Increased infrastructure spending
    February 22, 2012
    With economies booming in the BRIC countries and other regions, spending on infrastructure is at a high - Patrick Smith reports As economic crisis grips much of the world, many countries are still spending billions on infrastructure to improve transportation. While the USA and Europe struggle with debt problems (and this has affected much of the rest of the world) the development of highways, airport, ports and other infrastructure is gathering pace in other regions to boost economic developments.
  • Korean bridge construction poses challenges
    February 23, 2012
    On South Korea's southern coast, an innovative highway sea crossing is providing many engineering challenges
  • Korean bridge construction poses challenges
    April 5, 2012
    On South Korea's southern coast, an innovative highway sea crossing is providing many engineering challenges The new Busan-Geoje crosses from South Korea's second city to its biggest island and is slightly shorter than the 12km of the country's famous Incheon project. In addition the main cable stay bridge for the Busan-Geoje project has a 475m span rather than the 800m of the Incheon central span. However the 8.2km Busan-Geoje project faces perhaps greater technical challenges and also includes a second b