Kim visits new livestock farm in Pyongan

North Korean state media reported that leader Kim Jong Un visited the newly opened Sambaing Stockbreeding Farm in North Phyongan province, where he inspected livestock and dairy facilities, petted a calf and sampled locally produced cheese. Footage and photographs released by Korean Central Television showed Kim touring cattle sheds, feed-production areas and dairy-processing units, speaking with officials and delivering remarks at the farm’s opening ceremony. State news agency KCNA quoted him saying the project should serve as a starting point to “fundamentally change the rural areas” and called for improved standards, efficiency and scientific management in livestock and dairy production.

The visit was presented as part of a wider push to strengthen domestic food production and living standards ahead of the ruling party’s forthcoming congress. State coverage emphasized modernization at the rural town—reported to include new housing, a solar power station, a hospital and a kindergarten—and highlighted efforts to increase value-added agricultural output such as cheese. Reports described Kim urging expansion of modern breeding methods, better feed and veterinary care, and stricter discipline and ideological commitment among managers.

Analysts note such inspections serve both practical and propagandistic purposes: they signal priorities to local officials and are used to showcase progress and the leader’s hands-on involvement, while also reinforcing loyalty to the party. Observers caution that improvements at showcased facilities may not address broader, systemic problems—such as shortages of fuel, fertilizer, machinery and inputs—exacerbated by sanctions and constrained trade that continue to hinder overall agricultural productivity.

International reaction was muted, with the visit framed as an economic and domestic governance display rather than a diplomatic or military act. For domestic audiences, state media’s portrayal of Kim tasting cheese and inspecting the farm is intended to convey concern for everyday welfare and the regime’s commitment to self-sufficiency; outside analysts say whether these localized projects produce widespread relief from persistent food insecurity remains uncertain.