The cabinet of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) called at a recent enlarged plenary meeting for new momentum to boost the country's economic growth, the Cabinet newspaper Minju Joson reported Saturday.

In the first quarter of this year, the DPRK's industrial production rose 30 percent over the same period last year, and 50 percent or even doubled for some consumer products, it said.

Priority has been given to such key economic sectors as electricity, coal and metallurgy industries as well as railway transport. Agriculture and light industry were also given due emphasis.

The meeting specified the tasks to be fulfilled by different sectors to thoroughly implement the tasks set forth by the government.

As a guideline for the country's work in 2008, the DPRK government announced in its New Year editorial the aim to "open the gate" to prosperity by 2012.

Premier Kim Yong Il and other members of the cabinet attended the meeting.

(Xinhua News Agency April 19, 2008)