N.K. media urges frontal breakthrough touting recent fertilizer factory as start

SEOUL, May 13 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's main newspaper called Wednesday for redoubling efforts to rebuild its economy, calling the recent completion of a fertilizer factory a "gunfire signaling the first victory" in its "frontal breakthrough" drive.

North Korea has been ramping up the campaign to break head-on through economic difficulties as prospects of sanctions relief have dimmed amid a lack of progress in nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang.

"We have a task ahead of us, to continuously strengthen our bold fight for a 'frontal breakthrough' and to achieve great accomplishments such as the Sunchon Phosphatic Fertilizer Factory," the Rodong Sinmun said in an editorial.

Calling the completion of the factory a "gunfire signaling the first victory," the paper urged that more economic achievements be made in all areas as the North commemorates its 75th anniversary of the founding of the Worker's Party in October this year.

The paper also said many "obstacles and challenges" lay ahead but added that it will overcome the obstacles and "certainly establish a powerful socialist country and achieve a frontal breakthrough through self-reliance as we have marched on with our revolution through all the hardships."

In early May, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended a ceremony marking the completion of the Sunchon Phosphatic Fertilizer Factory in Sunchon, north of Pyongyang.

North Korean state media touted the fertilizer factory as the first key outcome of the "frontal breakthrough" drive.

julesyi@yna.co.kr
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