Kim Jong Un promised to build a “socialist paradise” while inaugurating new factories in a coastal county on Thursday, the second time this week he toured new industrial facilities for his signature regional development initiative.

At a ceremony in South Hwanghae Province’s Jangyon County, the North Korean leader highlighted the significance of ongoing efforts toward “bringing about a radical transformation in the regions and improving the living standards of the people across the country,” the state-owned Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday.

“When we strenuously explore the path toward development and prosperity in our own way and make courageous