[News Today] KIM JONG-UN CRITICIZES OLD POLICY

[LEAD]
North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un visited the opening ceremony of a newly built factory in an underdeveloped region. In an unusual move, he criticized even Kim Il-sung’s regional policies, highlighting his own new strategy. However, analysts doubt that this will solve the severe urban-rural divide.

[REPORT]
The moment North Korean leader Kim Jong-un cuts the ribbon, an extravagant cannon salute is fired.

This is a ceremony marking the completion of a factory in Songchon-gun County, Pyongannam-do Province, that will produce daily necessities and food.

N. Korean Central TV /
Dozens of modernized factories have been constructed in the regions as the first outcome of the 20x10 policy.

This is one of Kim Jong-un's key projects designed to improve the quality of life in regions in the next ten years by building new factories in 20 cities and towns every year.

The North Korean leader even mentioned Kim Il-sung's 1962 Changsong Joint Conference, which was a foundation of his regional development policies.

N. Korean Central TV (from Kim Jong-un's address) /
Even a song was written about how Changsong has changed, but the question is how much the regional population benefited in reality.

Kim Jong-un stressed he acknowledges the failures of his forefathers, and vowed to transform regions with his new policy.

He apparently wants to appease the residents living outside of Pyongyang, who are unhappy about the gap between urban and rural areas. But it remains to be seen if his policy will be feasible enough because he is merely pushing for factory construction without providing necessary materials.

Hong Min / Korea Institute for Nat’l Unification
It appears as compulsory goal without admin support. As long as economic conditions remain unchanged, sustainability of this policy is hard to guarantee.

Pundits say Kim Jong-un's regional development plan will likely end up just like the endeavors of his forefathers, who publicized their policies as successful by just building a few factories.