DPRK launches 150-day campaign to boost national economy

PYONGYANG, July 20 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is striving to boost the national economy by redoubling efforts in all sectors of the economy in a campaign called the "150-day battle."

It has "created unprecedented miracles" in production and construction ever since the decision to launch such a campaign was handed down by the Central Committee of the ruling Worker's Party of Korea (WPK) in April, the DPRK cabinet said at a recent meeting.

Thousands of factories have completed production ahead of schedule, and the production of coal, machinery, electrical locomotives and electromotors has increased by a big margin.

The sectors of coal mining and railway transportation have exceeded their production targets by 25 percent and 1 percent respectively.

The "150-day battle" has also sped up the construction of hydroelectric power plants across the country.

The campaign was aimed at laying the foundation for "opening the gate for creating a great prosperous powerful nation" in 2012, the 100th anniversary of late president Kim Il Sung's birth, media reports said.

DPRK top leader Kim Jong Il has said it was a firm will of the DPRK people and the WPK to realize the strategic goal, and that the endeavor needs "extraordinary enthusiasm and struggle."

In an editorial, the official Rodong Sinmun daily urged the DPRK people to strive for becoming the "winners of the 150-day battle."

The DPRK has launched similar campaigns to boost economic growth since the 1970s.