Kim Jong-un promised to make North Korea prosperous

Kim Jong-un stated that North Koreans will "never have to tighten their belts again" in his inaugural speech in front of the nation in 2012. Kim Jong-un has made changes to increase the autonomy of businesses while also constructing unique recreation areas like amusement parks and promoting consumer culture.

In a key policy directive, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for creating a "prosperous country." Mr. Kim has made a number of pronouncements in which he has come out as more committed to addressing North Korea's faltering economy than his father, Kim Jong-il, who promoted a "military-first doctrine" that showered resources on the armed forces. China's assistance is essential to the economic revival plan that experts say Mr. Kim is pursuing, which includes a rumored deal to permit tens of thousands of North Koreans to work in China under a guest worker program in order to increase China's foreign exchange reserves. After conducting nuclear and long-range missile tests in recent years, North Korea has become increasingly dependent on China as international sanctions have been strengthened and foreign help has decreased. China's trade with North Korea has increased significantly over the past few years as a result of North Korea increasing its exports to China, which are primarily minerals, and increasing its imports of food and other Chinese products to make up for lost trade and aid from nations like South Korea and Japan.

In North Korean propaganda, Mr. Kim's display of care for the well-being of his people is not exceptional, and it fits with his efforts to project himself as a more empathetic leader. In contrast to earlier photographs of his father, which tended to focus on official occasions like trips with the military, the state-run media in the North showed him cradling children on his lap and riding a roller coaster at an amusement park.