The compound originally housed North Koreans from the Mansudae Overseas Projects (MOP), the international arm of Pyongyang’s Mansudae Arts Studio. Namibia is one of over a dozen countries North Korea’s MOP is reported to have worked in, earning hundreds of millions of dollars for the Kim Jong Un regime. “They [the North Koreans] were nice neighbours, if occasionally a little rowdy,” said neighbour Heidi Zimmer. The 1.8-hectare walled compound was complete with offices, communal kitchens, bathrooms and living spaces for up to 100 North Koreans. Curiously though, earlier in May a Namibian media site reported that MOP held a contract until July 2020 to construct an open-air market for the same neighborhood where their abandoned compound sits.

Source: The North Africa Journal May 27, 2021 09:33 UTC