N.K. media highlights economic development after leader Kim's address

SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's main newspaper devoted much of its Wednesday edition to articles about economic development efforts, a day after leader Kim Jong-un called for increased efforts to rebuild the impoverished economy.

In his New Year's Day address, Kim said North Korea should enter a new stage of growth through its own technical forces and resources. The annual speech has been used by Kim to outline key policy goals and directions for the new year.

In the nationally televised half-hour speech Tuesday, Kim used the word "economy" in Korean 38 times, up 81 percent from last year where he used the same word 21 times.

In front-page articles Wednesday, the Rodong Sinmun newspaper introduced reactions from North Korean officials to the leader's speech, with all of them vowing to follow Kim's direction to develop the national economy.

"(We) will support administrative and economic workers so that they can responsibly carry out and command operations aimed at executing the party's policy," said O Su-yong, vice chairman of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, in his article.

The paper also published a number of articles introducing North Korea's industrial sites and technology development.

The series of articles are seen as North Korea's attempt to encourage its people to take part in the regime's push for economic development in 2019, the penultimate year in leader Kim's five-year economic development strategy.

In April last year, the North Korean leader unveiled a new line of policy to focus on the North's economy, shifting from the "byongjin" policy of simultaneously seeking nuclear and economic development.

scaaet@yna.co.kr
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