(Photo: CGTN)

Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un rebuked what he called "hostile forces" for "trying to stifle the Korean people through brigandish sanctions and blockade" on a visit to the construction site of the Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist area, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday.

Although Kim stopped short of criticizing the country by name, it is still considered rare for the DPRK leader to use words like "brigandish" to describe the sanctions imposed on his country. 

According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim was quoted by KCNA as telling the construction workers there that "such a huge and grand creation campaign as the construction of the Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist area is an acute standoff with hostile forces trying to stifle the Korean people through brigandish sanctions and blockade, a do-or-die struggle to defend the prestige of the party and a worthwhile struggle for creating the happiness of the people."

Kim went on to say, "If such magnificent project of large scale is completed surpassing the world's advanced level at such a difficult time as now, the strength of the single-minded unity of the party, army and people will be displayed to the whole world once again and the coastal tourist area will be a very nice gift to our people," Yonhap reported.

Wonsan-Kalma is a vast development on the DPRK's east coast, which Kim ordered to be ready by October 10 next year, an important public holiday which marks the founding of a precursor to the ruling Workers' Party of Korea.