NKorea intends to extend campaign to revive economy

Communist North Korea confirmed Monday it is extending a nationwide drive to revive its economy beyond the initial 150 days, a move seen by some officials as indicating the campaign has failed.

A North Korean family head home aboard a tractor and trailer. The hardline communist state has confirmed it is extending a nationwide drive to revive its economy beyond the initial 150 days, a move seen by some officials as indicating the campaign has failed.

The central committee of the ruling Workers' Party urged people to join a new 100-day drive after the "shining success" of a 150-day campaign that ended on September 16, the official Korean Central News Agency said.

Under the so-called "150-day battle," Pyongyang exhorted its citizens to work harder and longer in a massive mobilisation to lay the foundations for a "prosperous and powerful nation" by 2012.

The year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il-Sung, the founding president and father of current leader Kim Jong-Il.

The news agency, citing a statement from the central committee, said the 150-day drive had been successful under Kim Jong-Il's leadership.

The party "calls on all the people to launch a 100-day campaign... and enter the gate to a great prosperous and powerful nation in 2012," it said, giving no exact starting date.

Analysts believe that apart from reviving the economy, the campaign aims to promote unity as Kim puts in place a succession plan reportedly involving his youngest son.

The country also faces tougher United Nations sanctions after its missile and nuclear tests this year.

"The leader believes in the people and they absolutely trust and follow their leader. This is the most shining success achieved in the 150-day campaign," said party newspaper Rodong Sinmun.

"Through the above-said triumphant campaign the Korean people clearly showed the world that no force on earth can break the indomitable faith (of the regime)... and no 'sanctions' on the part of the imperialists can affect us."

Official media have hailed achievements in boosting productivity, but Seoul analysts and officials are sceptical.

"The North maybe failed to achieve the goals presented before the 150-day campaign and felt the need to extend it," Unification Minister Hyun In-Taek said last week.

Analysts say the campaign cannot properly address the fundamental problems plaguing the impoverished state's command economy.

"There are short-term achievements in selected plants, mines and power generation plants into which resources and manpower have been poured," Chang Yong-Seok of the private Institute for Peace Affairs told AFP last week.

"But the campaign has backfired by distorting the distribution of resources. It has nothing to do with any meaningful economic growth, which can be achieved only through technological innovation or enhanced productivity."

Decrepit factories, power shortages and a lack of raw materials also hamper economic revival, analysts say.