North Korea Launches Rocket

It looks like North Korea's rocket turned into a damp squib, despite its claim that it has sent a satellite into orbit and the nation is now enjoying patriotic broadcasts on their television.

US and South Korea said that no object connected to the missile had reached orbit.

Hotel Ryugyong :  another damp squib

All the usual suspects have expressed their concern as they believe that the real purpose was not the launching of a satellite but a test for a long-range missile, in breach of a UN resolution. The Security Council will meet to formulate a response.

What consequences North Korea will suffer for its defiant act remains to be seen, but it is not entirely without friends. Both China and Russia have called for restraint.
                                                                                                                                                        

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The Hotel of Doom | The Ryugyong Hotel

In Pyongyang the capital city of North Korea, stands a mega-structure, the Ryungyong Hotel, also called by many the Hotel of Doom. Many have also labelled it the worst building in the history of all mankind.

Standing 105 stories high, it has a pyramid shape and its construction was started in 1987. It was to be a hotel of grandiose proportions, with rotating restaurants, casinos and nightclubs. It was to showcase to the world the economic prowess of North Korea.

It was in fact a symbol of human folly. Aesthetically disastrous, it's fate was to remain unfinished ever since work stopped in 1992, due to economic and other problems.

The embarrassment it causes is so hurting that it's removed from maps of the city and taken out of official pictures of the capital.

A building in the twilight zone, like the elephant in the room that cannot be seen.