Kim Jong Un fires N. Korea’s chief economist

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has criticized the work of his Cabinet and fired the chief economist, saying they failed to come up with new ideas to save the country’s economy, Report informs referring to the Associated Press.

During Feb. 11 session, Kim lamented that the Cabinet was failing in its role as the key institution managing the economy, saying it was producing unworkable plans while displaying no ‘innovative viewpoint and clear tactics.’

He said the Cabinet’s targets for agricultural production this year were set unrealistically high, considering limited supplies of farming materials and other unfavorable conditions. Targets for electricity production were set too low, he said, showing a lack of urgency when shortages could stall work at coal mines and other industries.

"The Cabinet failed to play a leading role in mapping out plans of key economic fields and almost mechanically brought together the numbers drafted by the ministries," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) paraphrased Kim as saying.

The KCNA also said that O Su Yong was named as the new director of the Central Committee’s Department of Economic Affairs during this week’s meeting, replacing Kim Tu Il, who was appointed in January.