The Unification Ministry has said that North Korea is continuing its efforts to stabilize the Kim Jung-un regime.
 
Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae made the remark on Wednesday during a parliamentary audit session by the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee of the National Assembly.
 
Ryoo said the North Korean regime is currently focusing on securing loyalty from the military and the elite class through organizational reform and a personnel reshuffle. He said Kim is trying to build a self-image as a confident and benevolent leader that takes care of the livelihood of the people.
 
Citing the three North Korean officials’ visit to Incheon for the closing ceremony of the Asian Games last weekend, Ryoo said the North is seeking to show its efforts to improve inter-Korean relations.
 
He said he will continue to seek inter-Korean discussions to address mutual issues, such as the separated families and South Korean prisoners of war and abductees in the North.
 
Regarding North Korea’s economic conditions, Ryoo said the market economy is gradually gaining momentum in the communist state and that consumer prices, including that of rice, have been stabilized to some extent. 
 
He added, however, that fundamental constraints on economic recovery still remain as the North's pursuit of nuclear development impedes its efforts to attract foreign investment.