Kim Jong-un inspects economic sites ahead of South Korea-US summit

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un inspects three major economic sites. The country's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on April 6 on Kim's inspection to the Yangdok County, South Pyongan Province, top left, and the Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist area, top right. Below these are photos from KCNA's April 4 report on his inspection to the Samjiyon construction site and the Samjiyon Potato Farina Production Factory in Ryanggang Province. KCNA-Yonhap

By Jung Da-min

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un visited three major sites ahead of its key parliamentary meeting and the upcoming South Korea-United States summit planned for April 11.

The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported April 6 that Kim inspected construction sites in the Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist area in Kangwon Province, and the hot-spring spa in Yangdok County, South Pyongan Province.

The inspection came two days after the KCNA reported Kim's visit to another construction site in Samjiyon County, Ryanggang Province, where about 1,900 new apartments have been built so far.

The moves raised expectations that the North will officially adopt an economic-focused strategy when the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) meeting convenes April 11 as Kim Jong-un is shifting his focus to building up the country's moribund economy rather than developing its nuclear capability.

In a possible indication of what could top that SPA meeting's agenda, the KCNA has in recent days run stories focusing on recent visits by Kim to large-scale economy-related projects.

This April will see many “important events” for the two Koreas and the United States. The second South Korea-U.S. summit will take place in Washington D.C., the same day as the North's 14th SPA meeting ― the first since new members were elected last month.

On April 15, North Korea will also celebrate the “Day of the Sun,” the anniversary of the birth of the country's late founder Kim Il-sung, grandfather of Kim Jong-un. It is the country's most important national holiday with large-scale celebration events including mass dances and fireworks displays.

According to KCNA reports, Kim ordered a delay of the completion for the Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist construction area by about six months to April 15 2020, when the country celebrates the Day of the Sun.

“The builders should not push forward the construction of the Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist area in a hurried way to finish till the Party founding anniversary this year after the sea-bathing season, but postpone the construction period until the Day of the Sun next year to perfectly finish it so that our people would fully enjoy themselves in the impeccable tourist area from the sea-bathing season next year, [Kim Jong-un] said,” the KCNA reported.

But Kim ordered the completion of the Samjiyon construction site as scheduled, by October 2020, while also visiting the Samjiyon Potato Farina Production Factory which he has been promoting as hub for potato growing.

He also visited the Samjiyon Blueberry Drink Factory and Samjiyon County Junior Middle School, two construction projects nearing completion.