North Korean Ambassador to Egypt Chang Myong-sun says his country is considering creating a free zone in the heavily fortified zone along the inter-Korean border.

The party organ of the opposition Arab Democratic Nasserist Party said Sunday that Chang announced the plan during a meeting with the party secretary-general.

Chang said factories will be built in the zone.

He also criticized the United States for boosting negative public opinion on the North despite Pyongyang’s faithful fulfillment of agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency.