N.K. paper calls for drawing up 'realistic' economic plans

SEOUL, Jan. 26 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's official newspaper called Tuesday for putting together thorough and workable plans to carry out a five-year economic development goal unveiled during a recent party meeting, urging its people to break away from the practice of setting far-fetched objectives.

At the eighth congress of the ruling Workers' Party earlier this month, the North put forward the new economic development plan focusing on self-reliance in the face of the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic and global sanctions on its regime.

During the meeting, leader Kim Jong-un criticized officials for drafting economic goals without factoring in realistic conditions in its five-year economic plan and being "engrossed in subjective desires."

"In drafting plans for the people's economy in all sectors, it is imperative to do so in a manner that thoroughly reflects public consensus, not just the opinions of a few people," the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the North's ruling party, said in an editorial.

"We must strictly do away with the phenomenon of being caught up with our subjective desires and coming up with far-fetched or moderate plans," it added.

The paper then stressed the importance of drawing up "scientific and realistic goals and tasks" to make actual achievements and called for innovative plans by "breaking away from the old-fashioned and outdated perspective of the past."

The article appears to reflect the North's efforts to do away with its practice of coming up with unrealistic goals and falsely reporting accomplishments that were prevalent during the 1970s under the control of leader Kim Jong-un's late father, Kim Jong-il.

julesyi@yna.co.kr
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