도시건설의 효율성 제고와 건축기술의 전환: 1950년대 북한의 정치 상황과 평양

Abstract

This study analyzes the impact of centralized urban development led by a strong central authority, especially in the context of the capital city, by examining the urban planning of Pyongyang before and after the August Plenum Incident Revisited. Following the Korean War, North Korea, having exceeded its three-year plan for the people’s economy, needed to revise the direction of Pyongyang’s urban planning in conjunction with a new economic plan. During the three-year period of the people’s economic plan, Pyongyang’s urban planning was focused on rebuilding areas destroyed by bombings, particularly the revitalization of symbolic central spaces, such as Kim Il-sung Square. Consequently, under the new economic plan, there was a need for a comprehensive urban redevelopment, which eventually led to the occurrence of the ‘August Plenum Incident Revisited.’ After the August Plenum Incident Revisited, with Kim Il-sung gaining stronger central authority, urban construction in Pyongyang took a significantly different approach. Urban planning projects extended beyond the spaces previously concentrated on during the post-war recovery period. The architectural design approach also shifted to embrace assembly-style construction, a departure from previous methods. Although assembly-style construction had been adopted by socialist countries as a construction method, North Korea adapted and customized it to suit its own circumstances, resulting in the creation of the ‘Pyongyang Velocity’ phenomenon. Existing research has often focused on ‘Pyongyang Velocity’ and ‘prefab construction’ when analyzing this period, evaluating it as a ‘period of achievements.’ However, such a conclusion overlooks the complex political and international political context of the time, as well as the unintended consequences of these achievements. Therefore, this study comprehensively examines the political circumstances during the five-year plan of the people’s economy and urban planning projects, reevaluating the period that still appears miraculous as ‘Pyongyang Velocity.’ We also take a holistic look at North Korea’s political situation and the strong centralization under Kim Il-sung, which shaped the urban landscape of Pyongyang.