ISLAMABAD

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un vowed to modernize and advance the Public Health Service in the country, state-run media reported on Friday.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for a regional hospital in Kangdong County near the capital Pyongyang, Kim said the government is eradicating the "distinctions" between towns and the countryside while bringing more facilities to its public, according to Korean Central News Agency.

"It is the top priority of the Party and the government to put the public health service on a modern and advanced basis," Kim said on Thursday.

He added that building modern public health facilities and multifunctional bases for cultural life is an urgent task that will accelerate "the simultaneous and balanced development of all fields and regions."

Kim also unveiled a plan to build 20 hospitals across cities and counties each year, starting in 2026.

Last year, Kim introduced the Regional Development 20X10 Policy to build 20 modern factories in cities and towns annually to improve the material and cultural lives of the people.

He also pledged to build a general service center, which will include movie, sports, and cultural facilities.