内容摘要：By Yi Whan-wooNorth Korea's central government and party authorities are being sent to rural areas t

By Yi Whan-woo

North Korea's central government and party authorities are being sent to rural areas to support projects that leader Kim Jong-un recently assessed as progressing too slowly, according to sources familiar with Pyongyang.

"The measure comes after Kim accused provincial government officials of being negligent in carrying out economic projects, such as building power stations, when he visited provincial areas," a source said.

The officials from the central government have been sent to a farm and a construction site in North Hamgyong Province.

The move came 10 days after Kim said he was unhappy with the progress of the projects and the mindsets of provincial government officials who handled the projects.

"The officials have been deployed in teams of two and are officially tasked with working with farmers," a source said.

"The officials are asked to understand the farmers' working conditions while finding solutions to speed up the project.

"The officials were unsure what to do because the crops dried up during the intense heat, but now the officials are trying new things like finding sources of water and trucks to bring in water."

Another source said the relevant central government officials were told to work on major construction projects.

According to Pyongyang's state media outlets, July 17, Kim reprimanded provincial government officials during his inspection of a holiday camp, a power station and a factory in North Hamgyong Province.

The Korean Central News Agency said Kim was "so appalled as to be left speechless" at the construction site of Orangchon power station, which was only 70 percent complete following delays.

"He reprimanded the leading officials of the cabinet for leaving the project to the province only and not paying attention to it," the KNCA said, adding that the Supreme Leader ordered the project to be completed by October 2019.

Kim was also dissatisfied with dirty hot spring bathing tubs at the Onpho holiday camp, which were renowned for visits by Kim's two late predecessors — Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il.

"He even called the bathtubs worse than fish tanks," a source said.

The source added that the so-called field guidance of North Korean leaders and their criticism were common, but the terms and scale of denunciations were unusual.

Kim Kwang-in, a defector who leads Korea Modernization Solidarity, said the Supreme Leader's words "lead to immediate action."

"The recent deployment of officials seems to be the result of an order by Kim," he said. "Kim has promised to improve the economy, so he's conducting on-the-spot guidance at economic sites and the officials are trying to show everyone that they are on board with Kim's economic plans."