soul
AP
—
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has dismissed his deputy prime minister over trouble with a factory modernization project, an apparent move to tighten officials’ discipline and push for greater results ahead of a major political conference.
The upcoming convention of the ruling Workers’ Party, the first in five years, is one of North Korea’s biggest propaganda shows, aimed at reviewing past projects, establishing new political and economic priorities, and reshuffling its leadership.
The Korean Central News Agency reported on Tuesday that Kim accused Vice Prime Minister Yang Seong-ho, who is in charge of the machinery manufacturing industry, of causing “unnecessary artificial confusion” during modernization work at Yongseong Machinery Factory in the northeast.
In a speech Monday marking the completion of the first phase of the modernization plan for the complex, Kim said the project had suffered “considerable economic losses” due to irresponsible and incompetent officials. According to KCNA, Mr. Kim had already criticized Mr. Yang on related issues at a party meeting in December and said it was clear that he had been closely monitoring him, but had no sense of responsibility.
“To put it in simple terms and figuratively, he was like a goat yoked to pull an ox cart. This personnel appointment should be seen as an accidental mistake,” Kim said. “Can we expect a goat to pull a cattle cart?”
Publicly reprimanding or firing officials is a management style familiar to Mr. Kim. By doing so, Mr. Kim likely aimed to “create extreme tension among senior officials” and pressure him to deliver better results ahead of the party congress, said Kwak Gil-seop, director of One Korea Center, a website specializing in North Korea issues.
Moon Sung-mook, an expert at the Seoul-based Korea Institute for National Strategy, said problems with the factory project were likely caused not by individual officials like Yang, but by fundamental and structural problems in North Korea, such as committing scarce resources to weapons programs.
Moon said, “Kim Jong-un is putting all his efforts into nuclear and missile development, but he is mismanaging the economy. He is simply passing the blame on to his subordinates.”
North Korea’s economy has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. South Korea’s central bank has announced that North Korea’s economy will grow by 3.7% in 2024, but many officials believe it will be difficult for the country to achieve significant rapid growth due to its over-emphasis on weapons programs, an inefficient and highly centralized economy, and international sanctions.
Kwak said much of the benefits of North Korea’s modest economic growth have gone primarily to the ruling elite and arms development sector rather than the general public, further deepening inequality.
North Korea’s parliament likely to touch on economy and nuclear weapons
According to South Korean intelligence, the party congress is likely to be held in late January or February.
Kwak said Kim is likely to strengthen cooperation policies with Russia, China and other countries during the party congress to bring about gradual economic development.
Outside experts are also closely watching whether Mr. Kim will take steps to resume diplomatic relations with the United States after a long hiatus. President Donald Trump’s planned visit to Beijing in April may raise the prospect of resuming U.S.-North Korea dialogue.
President Moon said Kim was likely to use Congress to formalize his stated goal of pursuing both nuclear and conventional weapons programs.
