North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has visited a newly built notebook factory, the North's official news agency reported Tuesday, in what appears to be a move to show his interest in the livelihood of ordinary people, and in particular the country's younger generation.

The North's Korean Central News Agency said Kim gave field guidance to the newly built "Mindulle Notebook Factory," which was named by the North Korean leader himself, after giving instructions related to the construction and its layout.

As usual, the KCNA dispatch did not give details about the date of his visit.

Kim's visit to the notebook factory came three weeks after his "people-friendly" visit to a newly built commercial district and health complex in downtown Pyongyang on March 28.

According to the KCNA, Kim was pleased to see the factory producing more than a dozen different notebooks for kindergarteners and students of primary, secondary schools and universities.

Kim praised the quality of paper and bindings of books and commented that the designs are suited to the psychology of children and students of various ages, the report said.

To provide the children and students with locally produced quality school products is of considerable significance and can instill in them the spirit and value of things made in the country, the leader noted.

Kim emphasized the need to increase the annual production of notebooks from 50 million to 150 million in the future by way of increasing the level of information technology support in the running of the company. He said more effort must go into to using locally available raw materials that can boost output. (Yonhap)