38North covering developments outside Pyongyang as well

https://www.38north.org/2026/08/beyond-p...rth-korea/

5 years ago at the Eighth Party Congress in January 2021, Kim called for more development of the rural economy.

Kim stated in his concluding speech that “the living standards of the people in the local cities and counties including the rural communities are very low and backward” and he promised to “pay attention from now on to developing the local economy and improving the local people’s standard of living.”

Not long after that, the 20X10 program began.

To contrast, many years ago his predecessors declared rural underdevelopment already solved when it clearly wasn’t.

Un is much, much more candid than anything NK has seen before.

Analysis shows by 2024 new housing projects had been completed in 190 towns and villages, and by 2026 projects were finished in all but 2 counties.

For a government trying to convince people that life is getting better, these new housing developments can serve as visual indicators of that narrative.

As these rural development programs are being carried out, the construction progress can be easily verified on commercial satellite imagery. In Songchon, for example, both the new hospital and factory complexes are easily visible and match the images broadcast on state television.

But that is the extent to which satellite imagery can be used to verify these projects. What cannot be seen, and what will determine the enduring legacy of the 20×10 initiative, is a question of resources: whether local communities can keep these factories and facilities running after the opening ceremonies.

As noted in the guidance, most of the responsibility for raw material supply and factory operation falls to local authorities. The emphasis on local production of raw material aligns with the state’s aim to raise the level of regional industry. Each factory is creating a local supply chain rather than relying on materials shipped from elsewhere.

Another important challenge is the supply of electricity needed to keep these new facilities running. North Korea is energy starved and households receive a fraction of their required electricity, especially in the rural regions. Factories are supposed to enjoy better supply, but at least one report says a regional industry factory is down to working only three hours a day due to lack of power.

Ultimately, for Kim Jong Un to really eliminate the “backwardness” of the rural areas as his grandfather long ago aspired to do, it will take more than new buildings and showy ceremonies. Factory and facility upkeep, power, supply chains, workforce training, and more will all need to be in place for any kind of meaningful and sustainable success.