North Korea broke ground on six more factories for an ambitious new regional development initiative this week, according to state media, as the regime looks to show it is making efforts to address severe underdevelopment in rural areas.

High-level North Korean officials reportedly attended the ceremonies in different counties, which experts said suggests Kim Jong Un is tasking senior officials with overseeing the high-profile projects in a bid to prevent delays and other problems.

The events come after DPRK leader Kim Jong Un attendedthe first groundbreaking ceremony for a new factory in Songchon County last week, marking the official