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| North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspects inside a machinery factory in the country's Jagang Province, according to the Korean Central News Agency, Saturday. Yonhap |
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected machinery factories and other economic facilities in Jagang Province bordering China, in his first public outing in more than three weeks, Pyongyang's state media reported Saturday.
Since Kim oversaw the launch of short-range missiles, May 9, he has not appeared in the North's state media, sparking rumors that he could be suffering from some health problem, such as diabetes or hypertension.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that he inspected the Kanggye General Tractor Plant, Kanggye General Precision Machine Plant, Jangjagang Machine Tool Factory and the February 8 General Machine Factory. They are key defense facilities.
At the Kanggye General Tractor Plant, Kim expressed his appreciation for workers "having produced highly efficient machinery and equipment conducive to the national economy and the strengthening of defense capabilities," according to the KCNA.
Why we should be listening to Kim Jong-un 2019-06-01 13:28
"The Supreme Leader of the Party, the State and the armed forces said that the 70 year-long history of the plant is the history of noble spirit and staunch revolutionary spirit," KCNA said.
At the Kanggye General Precision Machine Plant, Kim noted that it was necessary to "turn the plant into a modern plant with completed mechanics of production and thus put it on an advanced level of the world."
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| North Korean leader Kim Jong-un evaluates a new construction plan for Kanggye and Manpo cities in Jagang Province, while provincial officials and the project's technical officers listen to him, according to the Korean Central News Agency, Saturday. Yonhap |
During his "field guidance" at the Jangjagang Machine Tool Factory, he noted that the factory has turned into a "leading machine production base performing an important role for developing the national economy," the KCNA reported.
While inspecting the February 8 General Machine Factory, Kim stressed the need to introduce more streamlined production processes, ensure substantial control of labor and put the production at a high level.
Kim was accompanied by key officials of the ruling Workers' Party, including Jo Yong-won, Yu Jin, Kim Yong-su and Hyon Song-wolas well as leading members of the State Affairs Commission, including Kim Chang-son.
Kim also inspected the 250-mile Journey for Learning Schoolchildren's Palace.
After looking around the facilities there, Kim expressed displeasure, saying it had not been built in a "charming way" even though a lot of material was used for its construction.
"He said that formalism, expediency and slipshod manner remain strong in the designing field despite lots of calls for embodying the principle of convenience first," the KCNA reported. (Yonhap)
