NK leader urges devotion from newly elected members of Cabinet, ruling party

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un urged the newly appointed members of the Cabinet and the ruling party to devote themselves to the country and serve the people like "God," as he held a photo session with them, state media said Tuesday.

Last week, Pyongyang wrapped up the eight-day congress of the Workers' Party, during which it carried out a reshuffle of its ruling party leadership and laid out a five-year economic development plan. On Sunday, the North's rubber-stamp Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) also conducted a reshuffle of its Cabinet at a meeting.

He expressed "the belief and expectations that they will deeply cherish the noble idea that the people are God and the idea of dedicating to the people," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

Kim also shook hands with each of the Cabinet members and held a photo session in what appears to be aimed at putting his weight behind the Cabinet to accomplish his economic goals.

He then stressed the importance of "devotion and bravery" to the Cabinet members in charge of economic affairs in achieving the new five-year economic plan set forth at the party congress and urged them to bring about "substantial changes" in a bold manner.

At the party congress, Kim unveiled a new five-year economic development scheme focusing on self-reliance in the face of the coronavirus pandemic and Washington-led global sanctions on his regime. He called for a "do-or-die struggle" to fulfill the new five-year development plan.

Kim also held a photo session with workers in the publishing and printing field who contributed to the recently concluded party congress, KCNA said. (Yonhap)