In particular, the city management sector worked out a proper plan for external cooperation and is propelling the works to restore the drinking water supply system, strengthen the capability in the field of water quality and realize the water supply by green energy.

In this regard, Choe Un Sun, department director of the Ministry of Urban Management, told KCNA:

In recent years, the cooperation of international, governmental and nongovernmental bodies like the UNICEF mission, the Cooperation Office of Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the European Union Programme Support in the DPRK has been directed toward the establishment of the drinking water supply system based on natural energies.

A series of successes were made in the work to construct or restore the water supply system and strengthen its material and technical foundations under the "Country Programme Document 2017-2021" signed in Juche 106 (2017).

Waterworks were newly constructed in various counties of North Hamgyong, North and South Phyongan and Kangwon provinces and the gravity-fed water supply system was put on a normal operation in nearly 30 cities and counties.

Meanwhile, the ministry strengthened the contacts and coordination through holding of several sanitation learning events and WASH sector working group meetings in the presence of relevant units and missions of international bodies in the DPRK and discussed successes, experiences, difficult points and future action program in cooperation.

It also hosted workshops on such themes as design of waterworks and protection of underground water to help improve the abilities of technicians in the city management sector.

This year, the ministry is planning to conduct in cooperation with international bodies such activities as the enhancement of capabilities in the field of water quality for safe drinking water supply, the establishment of sanitary security system in rural areas and the enlightenment for protecting the source of water supply.

It will further promote the coordination with all the international bodies involved in the WASH sector working group so that their activities can give substantial help to the improvement of the people's livelihood in keeping with the state policies of the DPRK.