North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended two groundbreaking ceremonies for major new apartment and farm construction projects in Pyongyang on Wednesday, according to official media, as authorities place the spotlight on long-standing housing and food shortages even for capital residents.

The Rodong Sinmun unveiled the first computer-rendered images of phase two of the Hwasong district housing project in northern Pyongyang, where Kim ordered the military to build 10,000 homes in 2023.

He ordered the same number built there last year, and while it has appeared close to completion for months, it still has not officially opened. 

State media also