North Korea's official newspaper on Sunday called for local economic development to achieve self-reliance in securing food and other key necessities, saying cities and counties are a "cornerstone" of the national economy.

"Development of cities and counties are a major requirement for an improvement in livelihood of people," the Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the ruling Workers' Party, said. "To significantly improve the livelihoods of people, resolving the food problem, and producing and securing necessities should be guaranteed."

"Just as the cornerstone should be strong for a house to be strong, development of cities and counties should precede the construction of socialism and prosperity of a nation," the paper added.

The paper noted that the regional economy can be developed differently in accordance with its geological nature and the existence of natural resources, and it can also be more swiftly adapted to the fast-changing needs of local people than the national economy can.

North Korea has been striving to achieve goals and decisions set forth during a party congress in January.

They include a new five-year economic development plan with an emphasis on self-reliance, despite the global sanctions and the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.

Earlier this month, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un stressed the role of local party officials in achieving balanced national development as he attended a workshop of chief secretaries of city and county committees of the party. (Yonhap)