North Korea accelerates project to construct factories with troops

North Korea holds a ceremony to start the construction of regional industrial factories in more than 10 counties under the country's regional economy development plan, March 11. Yonhap

North Korea has been accelerating a project to construct regional factories, with mobilized troops completing excavation work so that modernized factories can be built, state media reported Friday.

Ordered by its leader Kim Jong-un, North Korea kicked off a project last month to build modernized factories in 20 counties over the next decade to raise the "basic material and cultural living standards of the people."

The construction of factories is picking up pace as mobilized troops have been in a "socialist competition" to carry out the project, according to the Korean Central News Agency. The report said they've completed work to excavate the grounds for the factories and started concrete placement.

North Korea is presumed to have mobilized around 40,000 troops by creating a total of 20 interim military groups, called the 124th regiments, according to Seoul's unification ministry.

Last month, the North's leader attended a ceremony to start the construction of a factory in Songchon County, South Pyongan Province, saying the project could help millions of people improve their livelihoods.

The South Korean government has voiced skepticism over the North's regional development plan, raising questions about whether the resource-scarce country would have sufficient equipment and funds to implement the project. (Yonhap)