North Korean leader Kim Jong Un addresses a conference of cell secretaries of the ruling Workers' Party in Pyongyang. Reuters

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called on “grass-roots” members of the ruling Workers’ Party to be more proactive and responsible in carrying out the country’s new five-year economic plan, state media KCNA reported on Wednesday.

The comments came after Kim last week visited a site involved in a project to build 50,000 more apartments in the capital Pyongyang, and called for a renewed push in housing development - part of the economic plan unveiled at a congress in January.

On Tuesday, Kim addressed a conference of cell secretaries - individuals responsible for groups of up to 30 party members - held as the country was in “high spirits” at the prospect of implementing decisions adopted at the congress, KCNA reported.

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KCNA said 10,000 people participated in the conference, including party cell secretaries from various sectors - mainly “exemplary ones” from production sites - senior provincial party officials and chief secretaries of city party committees.

“Cell secretaries are hard-core members of our Party and standard bearers in implementing Party policy,” KCNA quoted Kim as saying in an opening speech. “The Party Central Committee expects that you will work in a more proactive and responsible way to strengthen the Party cells.”

“You should participate in this conference with a high level of political consciousness and enthusiasm, so as to study in real earnest how you are supposed to do if you are to inspire the Party’s members and the other working people to the implementation of the decisions of the Party congress.”

Tuesday’s conference was the third such event since Kim became leader in 2011, following those in 2013 and 2017.

Reuters