North Korea Issues Rare Apology Over Fatal Building Collapse

North Korea issued a rare apology today to the grieving families whose loved ones died in building collapse in Pyongyang.

The "serious accident" which took place in an unfinished apartment complex on Tuesday, claimed an unspecified number of casualties, with rescue efforts concluding on Saturday, according to the state run media Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The statement included a mea culpa from North Korea's Minister of People's Security, Choe Pu Il, who had "supervised and controlled" the construction of the apartment building in an "irresponsible manner," causing "an unimaginable accident." Pu Il has since "repented," according to KCNA.

The country's leader, Kim Jong Un was also reportedly upset by the incident, the news agency said.

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He "sat up all night, feeling painful after being told about the accident" and instructed officials to push aside "all other affairs," to concentrate on the rescue operation, the report said.

A South Korean government official who spoke to the Associated Press anonymously said that the apartment building consisted of 23 stories and housed an estimated 92 families. It is unclear where the official obtained the information.

The official claimed no knowledge of a final death toll, but the number could be in the hundreds, if taking into account that an average North Korean family has four members.

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The government took emergency action to rescue people from the building and treat those injured, KCNA reported. It is not known how many were living in the unfinished complex at the time of the collapse, but authorities are reportedly helping displaced victims find new lodgings.

It is not unusual for people to reside in housing while it is still under construction in North Korea.

North Korea's Admission of Fault

While apologies are extremely rare, occasionally North Korea does acknowledge its failures and problems.

The most notable instance of this includes the high-profile rocket launch that fizzled in 2012, and in the same year, the property damage, death and homelessness caused by severe floods in the area.

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The most recent admission comes amid the country's harsh criticism of the South Korean government and its handling of last month's ferry disaster which killed more than 300.

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