The Ninth Plenary Meeting of the Eighth Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea stressed the need to continue to attach importance to the 12 major goals and concentrate efforts on achieving them.

The DPRK especially set the 12 major goals for economic development last year which was of key significance in implementing the five-year plan that was put forward at the Eighth Congress of the WPK.

They include the goals for production growth in key industry sectors and production for improving the people’s living standards. They cover the production of electric power, coal, rolled steel, nonferrous metals, nitrogenous fertilizer, cement, grains, cloth and marine products and the construction of houses.

Last year, the Korean people successfully attained the 12 major goals with strenuous and daring exertions.

The overfulfilment of the plan for grain production, a dominant height, gave great encouragement to all the people and added vitality to the overall national economy.

Remarkable production growth was witnessed in key industry sectors and many readjustment and reinforcement projects were completed. Particularly, the flames of joint innovation that flared up in the coal mining industry triggered an increased production drive in the national economy as a whole.

As a result, the overall economy showed an upward trend of activity and growth, while significant and precious achievements were made in improving the people’s living standards.

This year, the Korean people face more difficult and enormous tasks than last year and there are formidable obstacles and serious difficulties in their way.

Only when they continue to attach importance to the 12 major goals and concentrate efforts on achieving them this year, too, can they maintain the stable growth trend of the overall economy, provide a sure guarantee for the fulfilment of the five-year plan and pave the way for a leap to the next stage.

Key industry sectors are particularly important in this regard.

To give definite precedence to these sectors is a lawful requirement of economic development and it is the firm determination of the WPK to propel the national economy as a whole through their development.

Key industry sectors forming the backbone of the national economy should redouble efforts to contribute to economic growth and the improvement of the people’s living standards in order to create a new victorious history again in this year which can be claimed to be decisive of the destiny of the decisions of the Party Congress.

From the beginning of the year, the key industries are bustling with increased production activities to make a breakthrough in attaining the 12 major goals.

The metallurgical industry is striving to ensure normal production at the establishments that have been put on a Juche-oriented and modern basis and a timely supply of raw materials, fuels and other materials in order to increase production of iron and steel. The chemical industry has taken scrupulous economic and technical measures to consolidate the existing production foundations and is effectively conducting work for accelerating the completion of the incomplete readjustment and reinforcement projects and ensuring their normal operation.

Electric power, coal, mining and other key industries are increasing production while putting steady spurs to technological upgrading and normal management of production lines and equipment.

From the beginning of the year, the agricultural sector is endeavouring to develop grain production at a high level and in a stable way and the light industry sector is working hard by taking it as the primary task to improve the quality of products.

Amid the vigorous campaign to attain the 12 major goals, all the people give full play to their loyalty, patriotic enthusiasm, spirit of exertion and devotion and the comprehensive rejuvenation of the country will be stepped up by that irresistible force.