N.K. leader visits military farm in first public appearance since breakdown of nuclear talks

The "field guidance" to Farm No. 1116 under Unit 810 of the Korean Peoples' Army (KPA) appears to be designed to underline his commitment to resolve food problems and focus on economic development despite the lack of progress in Saturday's talks with the U.S. in Sweden.

The Korean Central News Agency did not say exactly when the farm visit was made, as is customary with North Korean state media, but such reporting usually comes a day after the visit. The visit also marked Kim's first public appearance in about four weeks.

"The only thing we can rely on is the power of science and technology," Kim said during the visit, according to the KCNA, stressing the importance of training scientists and technicians and taking good care of them.

"He called on all the units in every field to establish the viewpoint and work attitude of giving priority to science and technology to carry out their tasks with their own efforts as social customs, holding fast to science and technology," the KCNA said.

Kim also "underscored the need for the agricultural scientific research sector to study farming methods for increased production in intermediate and mountainous areas and low-yielding areas and thus provide sci-tech guarantee for attaining the goal for grain production," it said.

The weekend nuclear talks, the first since February's no-deal summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and the North's leader, broke off due to wide differences over the scope of Pyongyang's denuclearization measures and Washington's sanctions relief.

After the talks, the North accused the U.S. of coming to the talks "empty-handed" without a new proposal and said it would be up to the U.S. as to whether the communist nation would maintain its moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile tests. (Yonhap)