PYONGYANG, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fulfilled its "nationwide total yearly industrial output plan" in 2021, the official Korean Central News Agency reported Tuesday, citing Kim Tok Hun, premier of the DPRK Cabinet.
In a report at the 6th session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly on Monday, Kim said that in 2021, "nationwide total yearly industrial output plan was fulfilled at 148 percent and lots of ministries, national institutions, city and county people's committees and factories and enterprises over-fulfilled their yearly national economic plans."
According to the premier, the country's defense spending "for further bolstering the war deterrent both in quantity and quality" stood at 15.9 percent of the total expenditures last year and remained unchanged for this year.
"This year the Cabinet will meticulously carry on the economic organization and command for the overall economic development of the country, with stress put on adhering to the principle of giving precedence to the metal and chemical industries," said the premier.
According to the report, the DPRK decided to increase expenditures for "emergency epidemic prevention work" by 33 percent year-on-year in 2022 and will further intensify efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as "the top priority of the state affairs." ■
