North Korean leader Kim Jong Un acknowledged poor living conditions in the country, emphasizing the need to address the disparity between rural and urban areas.
This rare moment of internal honesty comes as the country faces economic challenges due to mismanagement and international sanctions.
Kim’s speech, delivered to the Workers’ Party of Korea, highlighted the urgent need for socialist rural development.
“Today, failure to satisfactorily provide the people in local areas with basic living necessities including condiments, foodstuff and consumption goods has arisen as a serious political issue that our Party and government can never sidestep,” Kim said.
“As we are now in the course of effecting a great change for the project of developing the countryside, which was already raised, through a grand struggle, fully aware of the importance and urgency of the building of a new socialist ideal rural construction in the light of the demand of the turning phase for ushering in a period of socialist comprehensive development, it is easier said than done to undertake and strictly carry out the overall development of regional industry, another front and another great revolutionary stage,” he said.
“North Korea had concentrated its resources in Pyongyang to secure support for the regime among its core population. But resources have become more scarce amid continued sanctions,” a South Korean Unification Ministry official stated.
Notably, the regime has distanced itself from South Korea due to military exercises and pressure related to nuclear-capable drone tests.
