It set this year as a year of general offensive for bringing about a drastic change in improving the standard of people's living.

Light industrial bases in Pyongyang were modernized while the foundations of those in provinces reinforced through a high-pitched drive for bringing about a radical turn in local industry.

A solid foundation of food industry was also laid.

The Pyongyang Cornstarch Factory was modernized as a big confectionery production base, tripling production capacity. The Pyongyang Flour Processing Factory was technologically updated in a matter of a few months. A similar turn took place in the Ryongsong Foodstuff Factory and the Sonhung Foodstuff Factory.

The Kangso Mineral Water Factory producing world famous tasty and quality mineral water was put on modern lines, increasing its production 10 times.

Such large-scale light industrial bases which have an important role to play in improving the standard of people's living as textile, knitting, footwear and daily necessities have been technologically updated to remarkably boost the production capacity.

Central light industrial foundations have been consolidated and there are taking place changes in the local industrial development, one of the important links in improving the standard of people's living.

General Secretary Kim Jong Il saw to it that Changsong County in North Phyongan Province took the lead in bringing about a radical turn in the local industry. The county is rapidly developing the local industry. Following its example cities and counties across the country are using all their potentials for modernizing local industrial factories, registering big successes.

It is a signal turn in the development of the nation's light industry that general special products processing bases like the Samilpho Special Products Factory made their appearances in every province of the country to go operational.

Foodstuff processing bases have been technologically updated in provinces, cities and counties. They include more than 400 local industrial factories under the Ministry of Foodstuff and Daily Necessities Industry.

Great, indeed, is the potential of the light industry, a product of the persevering efforts made by the Korean people in the spirit of self-reliance this year.