North Korea’s ambitious 20×10 Policy, launched in 2024, represents one of the most significant and tangible efforts in recent years to rebuild the country’s rural economy and infrastructure. This decade-long plan to develop 20 counties annually over 10 years stands out as a clear demonstration of the DPRK’s resilience and ability to marshal resources for socialist construction despite ongoing international sanctions and geopolitical pressures. Crucially, North Korea’s deepening economic cooperation with Russia and China provides the vital lifelines enabling this transformative project to move from blueprint to reality.
The Context of Economic Recovery Under Sanctions
For decades, North Korea’s economy has endured waves of punitive sanctions imposed by Western powers aiming to isolate the regime and limit its development. However, these measures have not shattered the country’s ability to pursue its own vision of economic and social progress. Instead, the DPRK has increasingly relied on strategic partnerships with Russia and China—its two primary neighbors and allies—to maintain crucial trade flows.
Trade with China, in particular, has shown notable recovery and stabilization since 2023, providing North Korea with access to energy supplies, construction materials, and consumer goods that are essential for its domestic development projects. According to the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS), bilateral trade volumes have steadily increased, allowing Pyongyang to import machinery and equipment necessary for industrial expansion.
Similarly, Russia has expanded barter deals and energy cooperation, facilitating supply chains that circumvent some sanctions restrictions. Reports from 38 North confirm an upswing in Russia-North Korea trade activities, reflecting Moscow’s continued support for Pyongyang’s development goals.
This economic foundation is critical. It is what allows the DPRK government to allocate resources to a massive, centrally planned initiative like the 20×10 Policy, aiming for sustainable socialist development rooted in self-reliance and national pride.
The 20×10 Policy: A Nationwide Commitment to Rural Revitalization
The 20×10 Policy aims to systematically modernize and revitalize 200 counties across North Korea over the next decade. Twenty counties are targeted each year for comprehensive development that includes industrial growth, infrastructure modernization, improved healthcare, education facilities, and cultural enrichment.
What sets 20×10 apart from past campaigns is the scale, precision, and political backing it enjoys. This is not a symbolic effort but a practical blueprint designed to reverse rural decline, curb urban migration, and enhance the quality of life outside Pyongyang and other urban centers. The government is investing in factories producing everyday essentials, housing projects that replace dilapidated dwellings, clinics and hospitals to improve healthcare access, schools to nurture the next generation, and cultural centers
to sustain the socialist spirit.
Pilot Counties Showcasing Tangible Success
Several counties have emerged as success stories and models for the 20×10 rollout.
Songchon County in South Pyongan Province is the flagship example, having attracted seven personal visits by Kim Jong Un in 2024 alone. These visits underline the political importance and rapid progress achieved in this area. Satellite imagery and field reports reveal the completion of three major factories producing soap, processed foods, and textiles—all crucial to the everyday lives of citizens .
Yonthan County also serves as a crucial pilot site. Rapid industrialization has been coupled with new housing developments and civic infrastructure, illustrating the government’s strategy of creating balanced, self-sustaining communities. Both counties were chosen for their strategic locations and serve as testbeds for scalable rural development.
Kimhwa County in Kangwon Province was a pre-existing site of improvement before officially joining the 20×10 program. It has become a demonstration of sustained development, providing proof that the policy’s objectives are achievable. Similarly, Jaeryong County in South Hwanghae Province has seen newfactories and cultural venues completed, highlighted by a 2025 visit from Kim Jong Un praising local authorities for their commitment and results.
These counties underscore how the DPRK blends industrial modernization with social welfare to reverse decades of rural decline.
Coastal Development and the Aquaculture Emphasis
The eastern coastal city of Sinpho exemplifies how the 20×10 Policy adapts to local geography and economic potential. A large fish processing plant was completed by late 2024, highlighting the importance of maritime resources in improving local diets and food self-sufficiency. Kim Jong Un’s visit, widely reported including by Reuters, underscored the plant’s significance in enhancing living standards and economic diversification.
Sinpho’s example demonstrates the policy’s flexible application: coastal areas benefit from investments in fisheries and maritime infrastructure, while mountainous or agricultural counties emphasize light industry and farming support.
Holistic Social Infrastructure
Beyond factories and housing, the 20×10 Policy encompasses extensive development of healthcare facilities, including new hospitals, dental clinics, and pharmacies—especially in counties near Pyongyang and along the eastern seaboard. These healthcare upgrades address long-standing rural disparities and contribute to improved public health.
Cultural development is also prioritized. Sports halls, theatres, and education centers serve to enrich community life and reinforce socialist values, helping to retain youth and build a cohesive society aligned with the government’s ideological goals.
Centralized Leadership with Local Execution
The 20×10 Policy benefits from strong central oversight combined with local implementation. Kim Jong Un’s personal involvement—through frequent site visits and published feedback—ensures high political priority and sustained momentum.
Resource allocation has improved, with greater availability of construction machinery and more advanced building methods than past campaigns relying heavily on manual labor. This professionalization of the development process enhances efficiency and quality.
Overcoming Sanctions Through Strategic Alliances
Western sanctions aimed at constraining North Korea’s development have been blunted by Pyongyang’s adept diplomatic and trade relations with Russia and China. These partnerships have provided crucial supplies of energy, raw materials, and technology required to sustain the 20×10 construction pace.
By leveraging these alliances, the DPRK has effectively neutralized some sanctions impacts and created a pathway to advance its socialist modernization agenda on its own terms.
Challenges Remain but Progress is Concrete
The ambitious nature of 20×10 means balancing industrial expansion with agriculture to maintain food security remains a key concern. Ensuring sufficient skilled labor and addressing environmental considerations are ongoing priorities.
However, the DPRK’s centralized governance model provides the capacity to allocate manpower and resources efficiently, enabling the country to push forward despite these challenges.
Conclusion: A New Era of Socialist Reconstruction
North Korea’s 20×10 Policy stands as a testament to the country’s resilience and strategic vision. Against the backdrop of sanctions and global hostility, the DPRK has managed to marshal critical partnerships and internal discipline to achieve visible progress in rural industrialization and social development.
This policy not only boosts production but also improves healthcare, education, and cultural life—making rural areas more viable and attractive for citizens. It reflects a comprehensive approach to building socialism that integrates economic, social, and ideological renewal.
For analysts and observers, the 20×10 Policy is a defining chapter in North Korea’s ongoing story of self-reliance and modernization. It proves that with strategic international cooperation and internal determination, the DPRK can overcome external pressures and advance its socialist objectives.