North Korea has held a Cabinet meeting to assess its economic performance so far this year and called for utmost efforts to achieve its goals in the remaining months, its state media reported Thursday.

At the expanded plenary meeting of the Cabinet held the previous day, Vice Premier Pak Jong-gun made a report on the economic performance and plans for the third and fourth quarters of this year and discussed ways to carry out the economic plan set forth by leader Kim Jong-un, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Pak presented the country's achievements in major industrial sectors and in projects involving science and technology, and pointed out the "flaws" that dragged down the economic performance as he urged officials to "wage a stronger battle" against irresponsible behavior.

At the meeting, officials also stressed the importance of improving and modernizing the manufacturing process as scheduled and "reaching its production goal at all costs," the KNCA said.

North Korea usually holds such an expanded plenary Cabinet meeting three to four times a year to discuss ways to implement plans presented by the ruling Workers' Party and evaluate related progress.

During the North's eighth party congress in January last year, Kim admitted that his five-year economic plan failed to meet the target and unveiled a new scheme focusing on self-reliance amid crippling global sanctions and a protracted border closure due to COVID-19. (Yonhap)