North Korea has pledged extensive government support to rebuild Jagang province after the summer floods and make it a model of economic development. Joint orders issued by the Central Committee and Cabinet on Oct. 5 prioritized helping residents return to normal life and rebuilding infrastructure, while committing to the province’s self-sufficient economic growth.
A source in the province reported recently that that the Central Committee and Cabinet orders included three main commitments: to help local residents prepare for winter by the end of November, to prioritize resources and manpower for the province’s reconstruction by the end of the year, and to quickly stabilize the lives of flood victims while rebuilding infrastructure to make Jagang province a national model.
While North Pyongan province has widely publicized the status of its flood recovery, Jagang province has been more quiet in its recovery efforts. The North Korean regime appears to be more focused on results in Jagang province, given the need for security in a region that is home to a large number of weapons factories.
According to the source, the North Korean regime has outlined specific goals for providing Jagang province with extensive national support so that it can become a model province that positively influences other regions in the areas of public health, technology, and agriculture.
“The plan is to provide Jagang province with assistance in a wide range of areas, such as strengthening medical infrastructure, increasing agricultural productivity, and improving people’s living conditions. The government’s strategy is to use such measures to make the province a model for the whole country,” the source said.
After receiving the orders, Jagang province’s party committee convened an emergency meeting of its executive committee on Oct. 7. The meeting’s agenda focused on restoring and modernizing medical and public health facilities, planning the public implementation of disease control programs, developing cutting-edge technology based on local resources, and planning the reconstruction of research institutes and universities in the province.
In the area of agriculture, the plan is to increase Jagang province’s agricultural productivity and stabilize its food supply by introducing cutting-edge agricultural technology and upgrading grain storage and distribution systems.
Because Jagang province is a critical province for North Korea’s weapons industry, a stable food supply there is considered essential if residents are to enjoy a stable livelihood and economic self-sufficiency, the source explained.
“Along with the joint orders of the Central Committee and the Cabinet, each provincial organization has been given tasks to carry out as decided at the provincial party executive committee meeting. This has placed great responsibility and a heavy burden on the officials of each provincial organization,” the source said.
Officials are already discouraged because the government’s pledge to actively support the province is largely rhetorical, and local organizations are expected to carry out most of the projects on their own.
But some Jagang province residents who have heard the news are full of hope that the province will become a better place to live in the future, the source added.
The Daily NK works with a network of sources in North Korea, China, and elsewhere. For security reasons, their identities remain anonymous.
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October 17, 2024 at 12:30PM
by DailyNK(North Korean Media)