North Korea is making a determined effort to encourage its ruling Workers' Party members to actively take part in a nationwide campaign to boost productivity ahead of the key party congress set for early next month, a media report said Monday, adding, however, that many are lukewarm about such prodding.

Quoting a provincial source, the Washington-based Radio Free Asia (RFA) said the central party has issued an order to ordinary party members across the country, emphasizing the need to show an exemplary attitude in joining the "70-day campaign," but many are not following party orders.

Under the campaign initiated by the North Korean leadership in February, North Korea has been mobilizing its people to work harder as the Workers' Party gets ready to host its first congress since 1980.

The main party event is expected to allow North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to unveil new policy goals and conduct a major reshuffle of posts.

RFA, citing the source, said that some party members are facing public criticism or even expulsion as they have failed to pay the allotted money to the party.

Some party members have hinted that they wanted to be expelled from the party so they could be free from the yoke of party membership and its many responsibilities, the media outlet said.

Other contacts said recently that North Korea is pushing its people and government organs to collect money for the party event as the U.N. Security Council sanctions are making it harder for the cash-strapped regime to secure hard currency. (Yonhap)