On January 15, 2024, the 20x10 Regional Development Policy was adopted for implementation during the 10th Session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea ( DPRK ).
However, the formal legislative adoption of this massive, long - term undertaking by the DPRK's highest parliamentary body was preceded by several years of experience - dating back to 2021 - gained through the initial successful implementation of regional socio - economic development policies.
The administrative unit corresponding to Kimhwa County in Kangwon Province is located at the southernmost tip of the DPRK, right along the border with South Korea. Kimhwa County is a predominantly mountainous region characterized by unfavorable terrain and agricultural soils with very poor growth potential; cultivated land accounts for only 9.04% of the province's total area. The region has historically suffered from limited economic development and harsh weather conditions, including frequent, destructive downpours - such as those that struck in September 2020, causing extensive damage and flooding residential areas, and necessitating the intervention of the Korean People's Army to clear debris and address the inundation. Nevertheless, these adverse natural conditions did not deter local authorities from seeking ways to improve the region's economic standing and its overall importance to the country.
In March 2021, during a seminar for the first secretaries of the Workers' Party of Korea's city and county committees in Kangwon Province, a new experimental direction for regional policy was established - grounded in the principles of the Juche idea, the practical application of which entails subordinating everything to the well - being and development to the man as a master of everything and who is decides everything, regardless of difficulties or obstacles. This initiative laid the groundwork for the subsequent nationwide 20x10 Policy, opening up new opportunities and prospects for the region.
The experiment - which involved gaining experience by establishing regional industrial plants in Kimhwa County and operating them in a manner tailored to the area's specific conditions - was a complete success, yielding positive socio-economic results. The investments proved efficient and low - cost relative to their profitability and the outcomes achieved. The experience gained served as the foundation for the work of the central - level socialist economic planning team in preparing the comprehensive 20x10 regional development policy program, which entails constructing similar, modern local industrial plants in cities and counties across the entire country.
Thus, the concept of the 20x10 Regional Development Policy was born. It set an ambitious goal: to establish regional economic complexes - complete with the necessary social and living amenities - across 200 cities and counties of the DPRK. The undertaking was structured as a ten - year initiative ( spanning two five - year plans ), targeting the completion of facilities in 20 cities and counties annually. The primary objectives of this policy are to transform all regions into ideal living environments - places that uphold family values, reflect local traditions and culture, and integrate the local economy by skillfully linking social factors with production infrastructure.
Upon launching the major 20x10 regional development program, the DPRK government - drawing on the experience gained in Kimwha - established higher standards for all aspects of the projects being implemented. These elevated standards and requirements are reflected in the social sphere through the creation of more sophisticated architectural styles and a new level of modernization. The new residential developments feature a 'house -and - garden' model for single - and multi - family dwellings, offering a usable floor area of over 100 square meters. These bright, spacious homes - which incorporate regional architectural styles and include private gardens, verandas, and entry porches - are provided to local residents for free.
Proximity to the workplace and comfortable living conditions significantly boost productivity and serve to bind the local population to the regional community and industry. This makes it possible to retain the local workforce for the benefits of regional development and lay a solid foundation for a future workforce - one that gains genuine experience where they live and work. It also creates conditions allowing people working in their own region to become conscious agents who shape their environment according to their own needs and aspirations. Here, the concept of the human being as a creator of social life - a tenet of the Juche philosophy - is put into practice. A conscious individual - independent and creative in pursuing life and career aspirations within their own community - is someone who finds fulfillment in every sphere of life. This factor is crucial, as the focus on social and living conditions reflects a principle rooted in the social development of the human being as a collective entity - a principle the capitalist system of exploitation can never grasp, given its tendency to generate social divisions and alienate people from their work.
In the economic sphere, the development of regional industrial facilities involves the gradual introduction of new solutions based on innovative and creative approaches, avoiding any mechanical imitation of existing factories. Here, creativity - as a feature of the social being - finds full expression in bold socialist planning projects aimed at human well - being. Socialist planning entails a broad, holistic view of production and consumption - activities carried out by people and for people, rather than for the profit of select capitalist classes. Reducing transport costs and improving the utilization of raw materials and energy through regionally located industry operating at optimal efficiency levels are the objectives of the 20x10 Regional Development Policy.
As part of the 20x10 Regional Development Policy, alongside factories and manufacturing plants producing local goods based on local raw materials and capabilities, three universal elements - derived from social and economic needs - have been identified for implementation across all projects. These are: a residential complex featuring a recreation and leisure center that also includes a school and kindergartens; a grain warehouse; and a hospital.
The leisure and recreation complex being built in each region centers around a public electronic library accessible to residents. These centers also house cinema halls, hair and beauty salons, restaurants, and shops. While the core concept remains consistent, the specific implementation varies to reflect regional characteristics - drawing on local traditions and culture - as well as the unique needs of the local community. Yet, the ultimate goal is singular: to create optimal conditions for active post - work leisure without the need for long-distance travel. Retail and service offerings - ranging from stalls featuring local food products, handicrafts, and art to health and beauty salons - aim to maximize comfort during leisure time and comprehensively meet consumer needs, while also fostering regional growth by reinvesting profits into local development. The sports and recreation complex offers a wide array of athletic and cultural activities; through its operations, it promotes active learning, fulfills cultural needs, and enriches the community's cultural life.
The grain warehouse serves as a key facility in the agricultural supply chain, acting as a collection point for local crops - such as cereals and rice - equipped with state - of - the - art technology and electronic systems. It is not merely a storage site but an integrated facility where harvested grain undergoes drying, storage, and processing. The drying process for cereals and rice is fully automated and managed by an electronic control system that selects optimal parameters - including temperature and humidity - and ensures sanitary sterilization to prevent grain contamination by insect pests or external pollutants. These warehouses play a vital role in the planned distribution and regional storage of staple food grains, serving as a link within the national grain management network connecting rural areas with the collection and processing centers located in major cities.
The third element is healthcare. Under the 20x10 Regional Development Policy, this is implemented through the construction of modern hospitals in cities and counties, aiming to protect residents' lives and safeguard their health. Here, too, one can see the wisdom of socialist planning - a wisdom and farsighted foresight that not only guarantees everyone access to free, high - quality healthcare but also ensures - through projects scaled to local needs - maximum functionality in medical equipment, prioritizing practical use and eliminating the waste of financial resources. The healthcare policy within the 20x10 program also introduces a new element: local first - aid points in small villages and settlements, serving as an intermediary between larger hospitals and medical clinics. Thanks to this regional policy on health services, a foundation has been laid for better utilizing local medical personnel, offering them opportunities for professional specialization and career growth right where they live, without the need to leave their home villages for academic centers in larger cities.
A new specialty of the DPRK, which emerged and developed under the 20x10 Regional Development Policy, is so - called: 'marine agriculture' or 'seaside farms'. Seaside farms and aqua - agriculture facilities in Sinpho and the Rangwon region supply the local and national markets with a wide range of seafood products, such as fish, seaweed, shellfish, and shrimp. Seafood processing is also expanding at these regional marine farms; local raw materials are used to manufacture various finished products, including canned fish, seaweed pastes, and frozen, pre - packaged fish dishes.
In mountainous regions with access to geothermal hot water sources, massive 'green farms' - facilities cultivating vegetables and fruits in greenhouses - are being built to harness the region's natural potential. Here, under constant supervision, plants yield abundant harvests thanks to optimal temperatures and humidity levels, regardless of external conditions that might otherwise be unfavorable for vegetable growth. Fresh cucumbers, lettuce, or tomatoes in the dead of winter are nothing unusual - not only for local residents but also for major cities, including Pyongyang. It is precisely thanks to the 20x10 Regional Development Policy that a year - round supply of fresh produce is secured from farms that- in the past - could not even have been envisioned in such geographically and environmentally challenging areas. This stands as proof of how the Juche idea, with its world - transforming power, breaks down every barrier and obstacle on the path to realizing full human independence in all spheres of life.
The implementation of the 20x10 Regional Development Policy contributes to eliminating development disparities between rural provincial areas and urban centers. This program embodies the wisdom and superiority of socialist economic planning - specifically, the skillful integration of the human factor with economic principles to achieve sustainable development. It grounds this growth in the specific local potential and regional characteristics, aligning them with the broader national economic plan so that all elements of the regional economy harmonize and cooperate dynamically.
The organic whole formed by all investments within the regional economy - as fostered by the 20x10 Regional Development Policy - strengthens the relationship between production and consumption. This is achieved by closely linking industry ( geared toward regional potential ) with the agriculture that supplies it - specifically in the realm of agro - processing and the production of goods for the regional population - while also embracing the concept of self - sufficiency by having local industry supply the means for agricultural production itself, including basic farming tools.
The implementation of the Regional Development 20x10 policy in the DPRK, under the leadership of the Workers' Party of Korea and Marshal Kim Jong Un, fosters the broad - based development of residents across all regions - promoting balanced territorial growth and an expansion of economic potential that is inextricably linked to the social advancement of every individual working within the collective. Through this policy, the residents of the DPRK’s cities and counties are steadily improving their living standards and building local prosperity, thereby strengthening the overall national potential of the people of the Korea of Juche. This serves as a magnificent testament to the continuity of the 'people first policy' - a policy rooted in the epochal Juche idea, which holds that man is the conscious master of the world and, as the most powerful social being, possesses the creative capacity to transform his environment in accordance with his independent aspirations, needs, and goals.
Alan Bolon , editor "People's Korea Today " , KFA UK organisation secretary and head of KFA UK West of England branch.
