N. Korea says Q1 economic goals attained as it holds cabinet plenary meeting

North Korea said Thursday it has accomplished major economic plans for the first quarter as it held a plenary meeting of the cabinet to review economic performances and discuss measures. The North made the assessment on performances in 12 major sectors during a video conference presided over by Premier Kim Tok-hun on Wednesday, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). In 2022, North Korea laid out 12 major economic goals, putting top priority on boosting grain production amid the country's chronic food shortages. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called for developing backward provinces by building modernized factories in 20 counties over the next decade to raise the "basic material and cultural living standards of the people." The South Korean government has voiced skepticism over the plan, raising questions about whether the resource-scarce country would have sufficient equipment and funds to implement the project. Source: Yonhap News Agency