Reality of DPR Korea

-DPRK Bullish about Its Regional Development Policy

 Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the regional-industry factories in the DPRK’s Songchon County on December 20, 2024, Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, gave a picture of the Regional Development 20×10 policy, a major initiative pushed by the country throughout the year. Its current policy on regional development is drawing the attention of many developing countries seeking their own path of development.

 In 2025 the DPRK is expected to rev up its construction drive to carry out the policy.

 Kim Jong Un said in his speech that following the inauguration of regional-industry factories in Songchon, next year will see a simultaneous inauguration of scores of industrial factories in about 20 cities and counties across the country, plus an additional construction of healthcare facilities, cultural complexes and grain management facilities.

 According to him, this year’s batch of regional-industry factories will be based on scientific and optimal proposals from the preparatory stage of their construction, with an emphasis put on thoroughly ensuring the quality of structures. A factory will be built to comprehensively produce the equipment needed for regional industrial establishments each year, making it possible to ensure speed and quality in manufacturing facilities and raise the proportion of home-made ones.

 All the regions are estimated to develop in parallel in line with the principle of focusing on construction in backward areas.

The WPK disallows building factories in the areas adjacent to cities and counties, with the construction workforce now in place, or in those places with favourable conditions. Rather, it intends to render primary assistance and benefits to the locals in difficult areas just as good, nourishing food is given first to the weakest child in a family. This is quite different from the mode of development pursued by countries boasting of rapid growth.

 The WPK has decided to build modern industrial factories and cultural and healthcare facilities in the most backward regions and regions with infertile soil conditions before any others even by increasing the state support to them if they are short of raw materials and have unfavourable conditions for operation.

 It is predicted that follow-up measures will be taken to this end, with all necessary conditions provided for the full-capacity operation of factories and the regions’ leverage for economic development on a steady rise.

 Currently, national efforts are made to provide new factories with essential raw materials and ensure that teachers and researchers of central institutions, as well as highly-skilled workers of industrial establishments in the capital city, go down to cities and counties and give a helping hand to those factories to switch on. Additional efforts are under way to build raw material bases before the construction of factories, train core technicians and expand the ranks of skilled workers.

  Regions are encouraged to make full use of their unique economic resources and potentials. To take an example, Songchon County where the ceremony was held for the first time to inaugurate regional-industry factories is renowned in the country for tobacco, silk and medicinal chestnut. Reportedly it is planned to sustain its peculiar features, tap potentialities and make the most of traffic advantages to develop cultural tourism resources such as the waterfront of the Piryu River and the Songchon Hot Spring.

-Steady Efforts Directed to Education in DPRK

These photos show Songga Senior Middle School which was newly built in November last year in the DPRK’s Kangdong County. Its educational environment gives a glimpse into the country’s endeavour to develop education not only in cities but also in all other parts of the country.

-Socialist Civilization in DPRK and Its Characteristics

 The appearance of socialist Korea is rapidly changing. Over the recent 10-odd years a large number of modern structures and facilities for cultural and leisure activities have sprung up in its capital city of Pyongyang and local areas. The Korean people enjoy a high level of civilization in education, public health, sports, art and literature and other fields.

 The socialist civilization unfolded in the country has its own characteristics.

 First, the entire population is creating civilization.

 In this country the general public takes part in sports and artistic and literary activities. Industrial establishments and farms are adequately equipped with conditions for artistic and sporting activities. Nationwide mass sports competitions and art performances take place on a regular basis. Occasionally those who have shown special talent in these activities are promoted to professional art troupes or sports bodies.

A universal 12-year compulsory education is in force across the country, and all members of society are preparing themselves to be intelligent workers with the intellectual level of a university graduate and developers of science and technology with the implementation of the line of making all the people well versed in science and technology. Accordingly, the working population takes part in creating material and cultural wealth of society while steadily raising the level of their knowledge.

 Second, the Korean people create civilization entirely for their good.

 Over the past decade or so the DPRK has heavily invested in building many cultural resorts such as world-class Masikryong Ski Resort, Yangdok Hot Spring Resort, Rungna People’s Recreation Ground, Munsu Water Park and Mirim Riding Club, all for workers, farmers and other working people. Since its inauguration in October 2013, the Munsu Water Park has drawn 4.5 million visitors.

 In many countries horse riding is exclusively for rich people, but in the DPRK it is for ordinary people. The riding club in Pyongyang and others in Kanggye, a mountainous city in northern region, and Nampho, a city in western region, all serve ordinary people.

The DPRK is directing much effort to building modern houses. Since 2021 it has been building 10 000 flats in Pyongyang every year and distributing them to factory and office workers for free. In rural areas, too, tens of thousands of modern-style houses were built for farmers in 2024.

 In 2024 the country vigorously pushed forward the first-year task of the Regional Development 20×10 Policy, with the result that it built scores of industrial establishments in 20 cities and counties all at once. Along with this, it hastened the construction of modern healthcare, scientific and educational, cultural and grain management facilities. This year, too, it will carry out similar projects in another 20 cities and counties.