Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party, recently toured local industrial factories in Sinyang, Pukchang, and Unsan counties to evaluate the progress of this year’s regional development initiatives.
On December 5, the party’s official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported on its front page that Kim personally inspected the construction progress and operational readiness of soon-to-be-completed military food, clothing, and daily necessities factories in Sinyang County.
The newspaper quoted Kim as saying that the construction units’ technological capabilities and equipment have markedly improved since last year. He positively noted the reduction in process variations and the enhancement of specialization across operations.
The second page featured an article titled, Energizing the March Toward the Party Congress: Continuous Innovation and Ongoing Momentum. It highlighted that citizens are ramping up economic achievements in anticipation of the 9th Party Congress early next year. The paper repeatedly stressed the critical role of coal production in resolving power supply issues.
On the third page, it was reported that Laotian President Thongloun Sisoulith sent a letter to Kim. The letter stated that Kim’s gesture of sending a flower basket to congratulate his birthday not only symbolizes your concern and friendship but also exemplifies the excellent, long-standing tradition of friendly cooperation between Laos and North Korea. Earlier, the Laotian ambassador to North Korea had delivered a flower basket on Kim’s behalf to celebrate President Sisoulith’s 80th birthday on November 6.
The fourth page reported that a delegation from the Korean Students and Youth Art Troupe in Japan, led by Ri Cheol-soo, principal of the Chosun Primary School, arrived in Pyongyang the previous day. The paper noted that officials, including Kim Sung-il, Vice Chairman of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League, personally greeted the delegation at Pyongyang International Airport.
Under the headline, Essential and Strategic Resources for Local Industrial Development, the fifth page emphasized the importance of talent cultivation. The newspaper argued that even if state-of-the-art factories are built, without a skilled workforce to operate them, it’s impossible to continuously develop and produce goods that both satisfy local preferences and represent regional specialties.
The sixth page celebrated Pyongyang’s first snowfall of the season, which occurred the previous day. The paper showcased the capital’s winter beauty with photographs of snow-covered landmarks, including the 40-story twin buildings in Pyongyang’s New Town district and the Eulmil Pavilion along the Taedong River.