KCNA: North Korea's Pak Pong Ju inspects tunnel, factory

SEOUL, March 5 (UPI) -- North Korean Prime Minister Pak Pong Ju is inspecting key sites of industry, state media reported.

Pak, who was present at the train station in Pyongyang when leader Kim Jong Un returned from his trip to Vietnam, has been previously associated with North Korea's economy.

On Tuesday, KCNA reported Pak was assessing the condition of a water tunnel at a "second-stage construction site" in South Hwanghae Province. Water at the site would be used for farming this year, according to state media.

In 2018, North Korea experienced severe drought following an unprecedented heat wave that damaged crops during the summer.

Pak extended his visit with a trip to Haeju Tractor Accessory Parts Factory, also in South Hwanghae Province.

Like Kim, Pak provided "field guidance" at the factory and instructed workers to produce more farm machinery and accessories in order to realize the comprehensive mechanization of North Korea's rural economy.

The report of Pak's supervision of farm-related industries comes less than a day after Kim arrived in North Korea after the collapsed summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Hanoi.

Radio Free Asia reported ordinary North Koreans are exchanging news about the summit, and that the meeting is secretly being evaluated as a "failure" among members of the relatively isolated population.

North Korea has not said the summit did not fulfill Kim's objectives, and has instead described the trip as a "productive visit."

One source in North Korea's North Pyongan Province said Sunday people in the country believe North Korea asked for sanctions relief in return for denuclearization, but that the "president of the United States rejected the deal."

Other sources said they fear sanctions against the country will be further strengthened.

The summit's failure is increasing anti-U.S. sentiment in North Korea among people who think Trump was being unreasonable, according to RFA. Others are secretly blaming Kim for not disclosing a second uranium-enrichment facility, according to the report.

Authorities are quickly moving to block the "rumors," RFA's sources said.