Kim Jong Un, the General Secretary of North Korea’s Workers’ Party, attended the opening ceremony of a local industrial complex in Sinpo City, emphasizing the importance of regional development policies.
The Workers’ Party’s official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported on December 21 that the ceremony took place on December 19 with great fanfare. Key officials, including Kim, members of the party’s central leadership, and commanders from the People’s Army’s combined units, were present at the event.
According to the newspaper, Kim personally cut the ribbon and toured the newly completed fishing store and food factory in Sinpo City.
Although not directly mentioned in the newspaper, photos released from the event confirmed that Kim’s wife, Ri Sol-ju, and daughter, Ju Ae, also attended the ceremony. They had previously joined Kim at an opening ceremony for a factory in Kangdong County on December 15.
During that earlier event, observers noted the unusual sight of Ju Ae walking ahead of her father. However, on this occasion, she appeared to support him closely from behind. The media largely overlooked Ri’s presence.
In his speech, Kim stated that Sinpo City now possesses reliable potential and strong momentum for independent development, praising it as the center of regional economic development and a powerful base for improving people’s lives.
He urged for higher goals in regional development and emphasized the need to exchange experiences from the newly established local industrial factories to promote the development of light industry production bases nationwide.
Kim also visited the Sinpo City seaside aquaculture farm. According to the newspaper, after thoroughly inspecting the production and processing conditions, he expressed great satisfaction upon seeing the storage facilities filled with products.
Kim reflected that in July of last year, it held discussions on local economic development in an area that was entirely sand-covered. In just a year and a half, the aquaculture base has entered a solid development trajectory, enabling normal seafood harvests and the production of various aquatic products and daily necessities at the light industry bases.
The Sinpo City aquaculture farm, which North Korea began constructing in July last year, was completed in December after five months of work. Kim personally visited twice for on-site guidance, showing particular interest in the project. He instructed that the construction of this aquaculture facility should serve as a model for other facilities.
Additionally, North Korea began construction on an aquaculture farm in Nakwon County by the seaside in February and completed it in August, focusing on the development of the aquaculture industry. This initiative seems aimed at utilizing region-specific resources to achieve economic results and address the food needs of North Korean residents who suffer from chronic food shortages.