Kim Jong Il, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), has recently inspected the site of construction of a key hydropower station in Jagang Province northeast of Pyongyang, urging efforts for early completion of the project.

During the inspection, Kim said the construction of Huichon Power Station should be completed by 2012, the official news agency KCNA reported Sunday, without specifying the date of inspection.

Kim made the remarks when inspecting the project -- the biggest hydraulic power station being built in the DPRK in the past 20 years -- in northern Jagang Province.

Kim said the Huichon Power Station is significant for the DPRK to construct a powerful and prosperous country. With a firm industrial base, the people of the DPRK can change the nature with their resolution and power.

Kim said that many more similar stations should be built in the country because hydraulic power is better than nuclear power.

Huichon Power Station is being built by the Korean People's Army. Kim has inspected the station many times.