Pyongyang’s Yanggakdo Football Stadium appears to be in a state of major refurbishment, satellite imagery published on Wednesday by Google Earth shows, with turf removed and tiles missing from several sections of the roof.

The renovation process comes amid a broader trend of updates at other stadiums throughout the capital under Kim Jong Un’s leadership, analysis shows.

The Yanggakdo Football Stadium, which is home to several Pyongyang football clubs, was first revealed to be undergoing a renovation program in May last year by state media outlet Arirang Maeri.

New features to be added include new stadium lights and two large display boards, the report said, as well as modern FIFA-mandated facilities for refereeing.

But photos and satellite imagery of the stadium from 2018 show that four large concrete-mounted stadium lights had already been dismantled sometime before April that year, suggesting the renovation process is moving slowly.

Several stadiums have been recently refurbished in North Korea under Kim Jong Un, with April 2, 2020-dated satellite imagery also showing new seats with a soccer logo to have recently been installed at the Sosan Football Stadium in Western Pyongyang.

The capital’s May Day stadium also underwent a major renovation between 2014-2015.

A 2012-dated KCNA article said that renovations had taken place at several other sports venues and stadiums.

Edited by Oliver Hotham