North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's strident rebukes of officials during recent trips to industrial sites were aimed at rallying support at home for his economic drive and convincing outsiders about his willingness to denuclearize.
After racing toward his goal of developing a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the United States, Kim in April shifted his focus to the economy. In June, he held an unprecedented summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore, where he lauded the city-state's economic progress and "world-class" amenities.
This month, the young leader has toured industrial facilities and special economic zones near North Korea's border with China, often lambasting officials over delayed construction projects or lackluster modernization of production lines, according to state media.