Tongue-lashings from North Korea's Kim underscore shift in focus to economy

FILE PHOTO: North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un tours a factory in Sinuiju, North Korea, in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) July 2, 2018. REUTERS/KCNA

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's strident rebukes of officials during recent trips to industrial sites were aimed at rallying support at home for his economic drive and convincing outsiders about his willingness to denuclearise.

After racing toward his goal of developing a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the United States, Kim in April shifted his focus to the economy. In June, Kim held an unprecedented summit with President Donald Trump in Singapore, where he lauded the city-state's economic progress and "world-class" amenities.