North Korea is currently "going through hardship" and is "lagging behind" the rest of the world in some areas, ruling party organ the Rodong Sinmun admitted on Wednesday, touting Pyongyang's long-time mantra of "self-reliance" as the solution.

A concurrent article, carried in cabinet newspaper the Minju Choson, also reiterated the importance of autonomous development, arguing that Western "imperialists" used aid as a means of "enslaving" less-developed countries.