North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reportedly dismissed Vice Premier Yang Sung Ho during an inspection of the Ryongsong Machine Complex, accusing him and other economic officials of “chronic incompetence” and mismanagement. Kim criticised the officials for delays in the facility’s modernisation project and declared Yang “unfit to be entrusted with heavy duties,” likening his appointment to “hitching a cart to a goat.”
The public rebuke appears aimed at sending a strong message to party officials amid growing economic challenges in the country. Analysts suggest the dismissal is more a “shock tactic” to enforce discipline than an indication of genuine systemic reform within the government’s economic administration.
The incident comes as North Korea prepares for its first ruling Workers’ Party congress in five years, where economic strategy and development are expected to be central topics. Observers note that such high-profile reprimands may be intended to signal Kim’s expectations for stricter accountability among party officials ahead of the gathering.