Summary of domestic news in North Korea this week

NK weekly-domestic news

Summary of domestic news in North Korea this week

SEOUL, July 7 (Yonhap) -- The following is a summary of domestic news in North Korea this week.

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N. Korea discusses economic plans in follow-up measures after key party meeting

SEOUL -- North Korea held a Cabinet meeting earlier this week to review economic plans in the first half of the year and discuss follow-up measures for policy goals put forth in a recent key party meeting, state media said Thursday.

Last month, Pyongyang held a plenary meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, attended by leader Kim Jong-un, to discuss key agenda items, including economic policy.

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(LEAD) N. Korea has apparently lifted mask mandate

SEOUL -- North Korea, which had maintained its rigid COVID-19 restrictions long after most countries eased pandemic measures, appears to have lifted its mask mandate this month, state media footage and photos showed Tuesday.

News footage that aired on the North's Korean Central TV on Monday showed hundreds of young people seated close to one another without face masks at a theater in North Hamgyong Province.

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N. Korea says it has achieved economic goals for H1 in key sectors

SEOUL -- North Korea claimed Tuesday it has exceeded its goals across key economic sectors during the first half of the year, backed by efforts to accomplish its 12 major economic priorities for this year.

In an apparent bid to boost self-reliance amid deepening economic hardships, North Korea earlier this year identified 12 major economic goals for the year and picked raising grain output as its top task.

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