PYONGYANG: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has inspected industrial factories under construction and urged their successful completion in 20 regions as planned, the North's state media reported Wednesday. Kim provided "field guidance" at regional industrial factories under construction in Songchon County, South Phyongan Province, emphasizing the country's policy of opening up "a new era of regional development. According to Yonhap News Agency, In a parliamentary meeting in January, Kim set forth a project to build modernized factories in 20 cities and counties over a 10-year period to enhance the living standards of the people, a policy named the Regional Development 20x10 Policy. During the inspection, Kim expressed satisfaction with the successes achieved in the 20 regions in the first year of his signature policy being carried out. Kim highlighted that the validity of the governing party's policy to achieve "simultaneous, balanced and rapid development across the country" has been proven and called for the perfect completion of the construction of those factories. He mentioned that the ruling Workers' Party of Korea will "strictly" review the first year of the implementation of the regional development policy at a party plenary session set for next month. The latest visit marked the second time that Kim has visited the construction site in Songchon, following his initial visit when construction began in February. However, South Korea's unification ministry earlier expressed skepticism over the North's regional development plan, raising questions about whether the resource-scarce country would have sufficient equipment and funds to implement the project.