North Korea’s Kim Jong-un visits factories near Chinese border as leader’s focus switches to economy
Despot scolds officials and workers involved in a project of industrial upgrading and modernisation
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un recently visited factories in a region close to the nation’s border with China, state media reported, as a Chinese official said he was keen to resume economic ties with the restive state.
Kim made “field guidance” visits to construction sites, factories and a holiday camp in the North Korean border province of Hamgyong-bukto, the Korean Central News Agency reported on Tuesday. It did not say when he made the visits, but the report came a day after Wang Enbin, deputy director of the department of commerce in Liaoning province, said he was keen for the two countries to work together as soon as possible.
At a factory under the Ranam Coal Mining Machine Complex, Kim scolded officials and workers involved in a project of industrial upgrading and modernisation.
“Labourers and technicians must cooperate creatively to expand the productivity and realise the modernisation of machinery products,” he was quoted as saying.
He said also that it “doesn’t make sense” that the project had still not been completed 17 years after its start, the KCNA report said.