A new era of epochal changes is unfolding in the DPRK. Following the fulfilment of the first-year tasks of the Regional Development 20×10 Policy, news about a string of rapid changes for regional rejuvenation are reported day after day.

In this stirring era, the Korean people extend their heartfelt gratitude to the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un who set it as the supreme principle of the activities of the Workers’ Party of Korea and the state to promote and realize their welfare and ideals and has made painstaking efforts to this end.

The term Regional Development 20×10 Policy was coined at the 10th Session of the 14th Supreme People’s Assembly of the DPRK in January 2024. At the meeting Kim Jong Un said that there may be differences between regions in their geographical setting, resources, economic potentials and living environment, but there should be no backward region in the aspect of the people’s living in the territory of our Republic, and that it is an immediate task facing our government and a long-cherished desire of our Party to narrow the gap between the capital city and provinces, develop the regional economy in a comprehensive and balanced manner, while accelerating the peculiar economic development in each province and making a competitive trend of development.

Soon afterwards, the WPK, at the 19th Enlarged Meeting of the Political Bureau of its Eighth Central Committee, adopted the Regional Development 20×10 Policy as an important milestone for the development of the regional industry.

The policy is geared to radically upgrading the material and cultural living standards of the regional people within ten years by building regional-industry factories without fail in 20 counties every year at the higher level of modernization than those already built in Kimhwa County, Kangwon Province.

On February 28 last year, Kim Jong Un , addressing the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of regional-industry factories in Songchon County to implement the policy, said: Anyone who is born on this land should lead an abundant and civilized life under the socialist policy of the state, whether they live in the capital city or regions, in towns or mountain villages, and it is the core of the new policy of regional development to see to it that they do so without fail.

The event led to the simultaneous groundbreaking for the construction of regional-industry factories in 19 cities and counties, signalling the start of the first-year campaign to implement the regional development policy.

Shouldering the heavy task of epoch-making changes unprecedented in history, Kim Jong Un continued his journey of revolutionary leadership, visiting many places across the country from Samjiyon City in its northern part to its northwestern regions and east coastal areas, and Songchon, Jaeryong and Hamju counties and other places in highland, middle and lowland regions.

In particular, he visited the construction sites of regional-industry factories in Jaeryong County of South Hwanghae Province and Songchon County of South Phyongan Province so as to make sure that all regional-industry factories were wonderfully built as the eternal wealth for the people.

On August 31 last year he called a consultative meeting for regional development project as part of the preparations for adopting as Party policy a new important decision to hasten the epochal development and comprehensive rejuvenation of regions, and set forth an additional three-point construction task for regional rejuvenation. At the meeting he said: The historic cause of regional rejuvenation is a revolutionary undertaking to be proud of even though it demands much effort. When new edifices symbolic of the people’s happiness and regional development appear in 20 cities and counties every year and the whole country seethes with songs of sea changes, we will feel more proud of the dynamic stride which we have taken today with readiness for courageous struggle and fortitude.

Thanks to his wise leadership, news of creation and changes was reported one after another in the capital city, provinces, farms and fishing villages from late last year to early this year and the first proud entities of regional development policy in the new era sprang up across the country.

Entering this year, groundbreaking ceremonies were held in his presence for a hospital and a leisure complex in Kangdong County, a 450-hectare greenhouse farm and vegetable science research centre, an offshore farm in Ragwon County and other projects. The developments suggest that the era of regional change and prosperity is becoming a reality in the country.

Yang Ryon Hui