are those lines on the sides supposed to be elevator tracks???

LED traffic lights? That is unexpected

In a good way - they are probably buying them from China. Not too expensive, longer-life, less power use.

But yeah, funny most developed nations still use bulbs, and to see this in N. Korea! Then again, we had traffic lights before that intersection had electricity.

It is surprising that Korea is building a American-style building!

will this ever be habitable?
 

Given the prolonged exposure to the elements, is this facade going to simply be that? Will the building itself (well, best guesses at least) ever be habitable?

Now that it's not a giant hunk of concrete, it's a really attractive building!

Supposedly the concrete was reinforced, but this being North Korea anything goes.

That means (theoretically) that it can be habitable at some point in the future, then?

I have no idea whatever about anything that has to do with construction, so forgive my ignorance

Posted by a guy on SSC who just came back from a visit to North Korea:

OMG!! They´ve removed the crane on top...

BTW, very impressive pics!:tup:

Definately one of the coolest buildings in the world! I can't wait to see it completed. North Korea is so intriguing!

Very impressive and yes, good to see that decades old crane finally gone. You really wouldn't know you're in North Korea with this sorta tower.

i always liked the look of the crane...very mechanical and menacing, but yet pitiful, and an interesting topper.

it looks great without it though. :tup:

-

This shot speaks volumes about North Korean Society. The looming mega-project. The personality cult. the dilapidated transit vehicle.

Pretty sure that's the entire point... ;)

I believe that shot still proves you're in North Korea.

tottaly agree looks kinda photshopped really

and 2012 is definetly coming now that the crane is gone.
and the building turned out fantastical im quite happy for the people of north korea. politics set aside they got a great building to look at and hopefully occupy if the concrete is good enough

and i cant stop imagining what a landmark this would hawe been if it was finished with this cladding back in the days 1994-1995 when it would probably hawe been completed.

it would actually hawe pushed the height of the burj al arab up by at least 10 meters if Dubai still had wanted to hawe the worlds tallest hotel then and they would still pretty much hawe the same height. if Dubai dident go any higer.

This building looks amazing with the cladding, can't wait to see it finished. Apparently the interior will be finished in 2012 in time for the 100th anniversary or Kim Il-Sung's birth.

I've tried to get some more information from north korea's official news outlet but have yet to get a response...I guess it's a long shot.

Ps: on a weird sidenote, north Korea has an official twitter page and they're following 12 people...somehow I got to be one of the lucky dozen!!!

This would make a nice military headquarters for when the world finally decides to go in and take out that idiot and let the population know that they actually live on a round world with other countries on it.

Still would love to see shots from the interior, make sure this isn't just a hollow shell of a tower like some of Pyongyang's other buildings.

Ditto...something is telling me they probably just payed up to have it at LEAST enclosed and haven't done much on the interior...or else, they maybe just will complete the first few floors, some in the middle, and then the observation deck on top to make it seem "complete" :jester: