Partially-completed high-rise buildings surrounding Pyongyang’s iconic Kim Il Sung square are showing fresh signs of construction, recent photos and observations from local sources indicate, meaning a delay that had been plaguing the area since at least February may be ending.

Construction in three clusters of new buildings around the north and south of Kim Il Sung square had been rising quickly in early 2017, but a pause throughout most of 2018 raised questions as to what could be slowing building progress in such a centrally located area.

However, the heightening of two structures east of Victory