German Working Group Hamhung

This strategic location also proved its downfall during the Korean War, as the American army deployed scorched earth tactics in destroying 80-90% of the city and its industrial infrastructure through bombing and naval artillery, whilst retreating from the Chinese military who had intervened in the conflict to support the Korean People's Army.

[1] When North Korean leader Kim Il Sung received news of this promise, he suggested the reconstruction of Hamhung as an industrial centre, as a joint project between the two socialist states.

It was intended for the program to run for 10 years, in the form of scientific and technical support in planning and project management, in addition to training and mentorship of Korean workers in Hamhung.

A group of selected specialists were selected under the title Deutsche Arbeitsgruppe (DAG) and sent to Hamhung, including city planners, architects, geologists, and civil engineers specialising in various of construction ranging from roads, bridges, utilities to specific areas such as hospital construction.

In the years 1955-56, his wife Madleen Grotewohl managed the construction of multiple small residential buildings for the Korean staff, which consisted of engineers, architects and interpreters.

One of the first buildings built with the help of the DAG was a middle school for 1,200 students, completed in 1956 and financed by donations from East German citizens.

Further to this, German-Korean cooperation saw the construction of residential and industrial areas, a new road network, electrical and water supply networks, sewage systems, schools and kindergartens, shops, a hotel, and theatre (or "House of Culture"), a tuberculosis hospital and factory for prosthetics, sport and recreational facilities, a swimming pool and the city's railway station.