The dismissal was revealed in a report on the inauguration of the modernisation of the Ryongsong Industrial Complex, on the outskirts of Pyongyang, a ceremony presided over by Kim Jong-un. In his speech at the event, the North Korean leader delivered a sharp rebuke of “irresponsible, rude and incompetent economic policy officials”, holding them responsible for delays in the project’s implementation.
According to KCNA, Kim said the Workers’ Party of Korea had clearly concluded that “the current economic guidance forces are poorly equipped to lead the overall readjustment of the country’s industry and its technological modernisation”.
The move comes amid mounting pressure on senior regime officials ahead of the 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea, due to take place in the coming weeks. The congress, the first in five years, is expected to set out the country’s long-term political, economic and diplomatic strategy at a time of heightened regional tensions.
In early January, North Korean authorities called for increased “discipline and loyalty” among officials in an editorial published by the state newspaper Rodong Sinmun, which stressed that party cadres should approach the congress with “pride” as a result of their “dedicated service to the North Korean people”.
At the party’s previous congress in 2021, Kim Jong-un was reconfirmed as secretary-general, a post reinstated after being abolished in 2016. At that time, the leader acknowledged the “failure” of existing economic policies, admitting that the targets set had not been met. A day later, he also argued for a significant strengthening of the country’s military capabilities, saying this was essential to safeguard national security and create a “peaceful environment for the construction of socialism”.
