North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has admitted his economic development plans for the country are a failure.
In his opening speech to the congress of the Workers’ Party, Kim confessed his five-year finance programme had failed to achieve its goals “in almost all areas to a great extent”.
According to the country’s official Korean Central News Agency, he described the difficulties facing his government as “the worst-ever” and “unprecedented”.
Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event.
The five-year plan was established at the 2016 congress but following its collapse, the leader has now called for a replacement, as well as a review of North Korea"s metal, chemical, electric and other key industries.