North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has inspected building sites for school supply and teaching tool factories and reprimanded cabinet and education officials over delays in the construction, state media reported Wednesday.
Kim visited the sites the previous day to inspect construction progress and tour the factories, emphasizing the importance of strengthening the material foundation of the education sector and improving educational conditions and the environment, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
The leader pointed out that the ruling party had addressed the issue of strengthening the material foundation for education at its plenary sessions for several years, but there had been no progress in the construction of the factories for five years till the middle of this year, the KCNA said.
He blamed problems in the mindset and attitude of cabinet and education officials for the delay, adding that the cause should be strictly addressed at the upcoming plenary party meeting set for next month.
The leader also acknowledged the efforts of military builders mobilized for the construction, saying, “The education material factory is a key plant that guarantees nationwide supply.”
Kim also urged officials to improve the quality of production to meet the age, physical needs and other needs of students, instructing them to complete the construction by the end of this year so that operations can begin in the first half of 2026.
