‘His first cherished desire’: North Korea’s Kim seeks rural revitalisation

Kim convened a high-level meeting on Saturday as the ruling Workers’ Party seeks to adopt a “new important decision” to speed up rural development under his “Regional Development 20×10 Policy” aimed at opening modernised factories in at least 20 remote counties every year for the next 10 years, KCNA reported.

Kim said the construction of health, science and grain management facilities in cities and counties is an essential, urgent task in accelerating and improving regional development, according to KCNA.

“Building light industry factories in local areas … alone is not enough to provide the regional people across the country with a sustained and improved material and cultural life,” KCNA quoted him as telling the meeting.

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Kim ordered prioritising the completion of modern health facilities “without fail” in the face of any challenges, KCNA said.

“He said that it is his first cherished desire to build city and county hospitals which will greatly contribute to improving the regional health situation [that is] relatively inferior, and promoting the life and security and health of local people,” it added.