Kim Jong-un fires vice-premier and likens him to ‘a goat yoked to an ox cart’

The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, has dismissed a vice-premier over troubles in a factory modernisation project, in an apparent move to tighten discipline among officials and push them to deliver greater results before a major political conference.The upcoming ruling Workers’ party congress, the first of its kind in five years, is one of North Korea’s biggest propaganda spectacles and is intended to review past projects, establish new political and economic priorities and reshuffle officials.The Korean Central News Agency reported on Tuesday that Kim blamed Yang Sung-ho, a vice-premier in charge of the machine-building industry, for causing “unnecessary man-made confusion” in works to modernise the Ryongsong Machine Complex in the north-east.In a speech on Monday marking the completion of the first stage of the modernisation plan at the complex, Kim said the project had suffered “not a small amount of economic loss” because of irresponsible and incompetent officials. Kim said he had already criticised Yang over related issues during a party meeting in December and watched him closely, but found that he felt no sense of responsibility at all, KCNA said.“To speak figuratively in simpler words, he was like a goat yoked to pull an ox cart. We should see this as an incidental mistake in our practice of personnel appointment,” Kim said. “Could we expect a goat to pull a cart for an ox?”The factory project’s troubles were more likely to be caused by North Korea’s fundamental structural problems, said one expert. Photograph: KCNA/EPAPublicly scolding and firing officials is Kim’s familiar management style. By doing so, Kim probably aimed to “create extreme tensions among senior officials” and pressure them to produce better results before the party congress, said Kwak Gil-sup, the head of One Korea Center, a website specialising in North Korean affairs.Moon Seong-mook, an expert with the Seoul-based Korea Research Institute for National Strategy, said the factory project’s troubles were more likely to be caused by North Korea’s fundamental structural problems, such as dedicating scarce resources to weapons programmes, rather than by individual officials such as Yang.“Kim Jong-un has gone all-in on nuclear and missile programmes but he’s mismanaged the economy. He’s just passing the blame for his fault to a subordinate,” Moon said.North Korea’s economy suffered major setbacks during the Covid-19 pandemic. South Korea’s central bank said North Korea’s economy grew 3.7% in 2024, but many observers say the country would find it difficult to achieve major, rapid growth due to its excessive focus on weapons programmes, its inefficient, highly centralised economy and international sanctions.Kwak said much of the benefits of North Korea’s small economic growth had largely gone to its ruling elite and weapons development sector, not to the general public, further deepening inequalities.The party congress is likely to open later in January or February, according to South Korea’s spy service.During the congress, Kim was expected to strengthen a policy of cooperation with Russia, China and other allies to bring out gradual economic developments, Kwak said.Outside experts are also closely looking at whether Kim would take steps to restart long-dormant diplomacy with the US. They say Trump’s planned visit to Beijing in April could increase prospects for a resumption of talks between the US and North Korea.Moon said Kim would probably use the congress to formally declare his stated goal of simultaneously advancing nuclear and conventional weapons programs.