North Korea's Premier Pak Pong-ju has reportedly urged the nation to work harder to meet all the targets in every economic area next year as they face growing pressure from stronger international sanctions. 

The official newspaper of the North’s Workers' Party, the Rodong Sinmun, on Friday said that Pak issued the order during a joint meeting of senior officials of the country’s political, administrative, economic and military organizations in Pyongyang a day earlier. 

Pak was said to have called for a “daring struggle” to increase production on all economic fronts, based on autonomous power, strenuous efforts, science and technology, and urged them to accomplish next year’s goals unconditionally. 

In addition, he said they should build a material and technological foundation for carrying out a five-year strategy, but did not elaborate further. 

This comes amid speculation the North Korean economy will soon feel the impacts of UN Security Council sanctions aimed at blocking the regime's nuclear and missile programs.

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