North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has reportedly ordered officials to rebuild Ryongchon, which was hit by a deadly train blast in April, into a 21st-century model town.

Quoting a local manger, the North Korean Central Television reported Saturday that Kim ordered the district of Ryongchon to be renewed into a state-of-the-art city.

According to the reports, a new, larger train station will be built at the site of Ryongchon station, which was devastated by the train explosion, and a three-story elementary school which was heavily damaged from the blast would be reconstructed into a four-story school.

The broadcaster also said that construction is underway to build modernized apartments in the town near the border with China.

The train explosion which occurred on April 22, killed at least 160 people and injured 1,300.