In relation to the replacement of North Korea’s Prime Minister from Kim Deok-hoon to Park Tae-sung at the 11th Plenary Meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party held at the end of last month, it is said that there is a growing interest among North Korean residents about what changes will occur in the economic sector this year.
On the 8th, a Pyongyang city source from Daily NK said, “Among Pyongyang citizens, the replacement of the Prime Minister in the executive session (personnel) of this plenary session is the most talked about topic,” adding, “They are focusing on whether Park Tae-sung is better than Kim Deok-hoon.”
According to sources, Pyongyang citizens are paying attention to what changes will occur in Pyongyang’s supply in the future, saying that ‘supply’ is what most reflects the activities of the Prime Minister.
Pyongyang citizens recognize that the gap between the rich and the poor has widened as supply has decreased and living conditions have retreated significantly compared to five years ago. Particularly important is solving the food problem, so they are expressing the hope that this year, with the change of prime minister, will be better than last year.
In relation to this, housewives in Pyongyang City are said to be saying, “Last year, there was no month when we did not receive 100% food supply, and we even received moldy rice in the summer,” and “I hope the Prime Minister will make up for the changes this year.”
In addition, Pyongyang citizens are also showing great interest in whether the prime minister will be able to solve the reality of suffering from water and electricity problems.
The source said, “The people who are talking the most about the appointment of the prime minister are the newly hired residents in the central district of Pyongyang,” adding, “The residents living in the upper floors say the houses are nice, but the water and electricity problems are the biggest difficulties, so they hope the new prime minister will solve them.” “I’m showing my heart,” he said.
He said, “What residents want is, first and second, to bring about new changes in the economy so that they can escape from the current difficult environment. However, this executive project has great meaning in that nothing much has changed even though the prime minister has changed several times.” “There is no need to do it, and there is some skepticism that it will not make much of a difference if anyone does it,” he said.
Meanwhile, some executives are known to be questioning Park Tae-sung’s economic expertise. They are pointing out that he lacks practical experience in the economic field as a former party official.
The source said, “Some executives say, ‘You need to have basic experience, so how can someone who knows nothing run the economy?’, ‘Can they give instructions well to their subordinates?’, and ‘There may be dissonance with those in the cabinet who are knowledgeable about the economy. “We are taking a cautious but negative outlook,” he said.
Meanwhile, the source added, there is an assessment among executives that “given that Park Tae-sung is from the party, this is probably a project focused on strengthening the internal discipline of the national economy.”
Park Tae-sung, who served as responsible secretary of the South Pyongan Provincial Party Committee, chairman of the Supreme People’s Assembly, head of the party’s Propaganda and Agitation Department, secretary of the party’s Science and Education Secretary, and chairman of the National Space Science and Technology Committee, was newly appointed as prime minister of the cabinet at a recent plenary meeting and was also appointed as a key decision-making body of the party. His high political standing was confirmed by rising to the position of a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau.
Kim Deok-hoon, who had been in charge of the economy, stepped down from his position as Prime Minister in this reshuffle, but was appointed Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Head of the Economic Department, reaffirming his strong position.
Source: www.dailynk.com
