North Korea’s State Council Chairman Kim Jong-un held a meeting to expand the Labor Party’s Political Bureau at the Pyongyang Labor Party headquarters on November 29, the Chosun Central News Agency reported on the 30th. yunhap news
The holding of the 8th Labor Party Congress, which will be held for the 10th year of Kim Jong-un’s administration, is approaching. In order to overcome the overlapping crises such as infectious diseases, natural disasters, and economic sanctions, and to strengthen internal solidarity, the North Korean authorities made a number of battles to advance the’political time’ to the beginning.
This conference, which will be held in five years, is expected to be a place to evaluate policy achievements so far and to suggest new mid- and long-term strategic routes. Above all, attention is being drawn to the level of external messages that will gauge the direction of inter-Korean-North American relations that have fallen into a deadlock.
’80 Days Battle’ ends soon… will be held as early as next week
Earlier in August, North Korea nailed the “Convocation of the 8th Party Congress” at the Labor Party plenary meeting. At the beginning of this month, it was announced that the Supreme People’s Assembly, which is our national assembly, will be held in Pyongyang in late January. It means that the decisions made by the party will be legislated immediately. It is an unusual’speed battle’ that drives two political events in January. In 2016, the 7th Party Congress was held in May, and the Supreme People’s Assembly was usually held in April.
North Korea has not yet revealed a specific schedule for the party congress, but the holding of the conference in early January will help. This is because the ’80-day battle’, which is in progress in line with the party conference, ends on the 30th. Even five years ago, North Korea held the 7th Party Congress four days after the ’70th Battle’ ended. In a seminar on the 2nd, the National Institute for National Unification, a national research institute, narrowed the timing of the party conference to Jan. 2-5, and raised the possibility that the presentation of the New Year’s Address, which North Korea’s Chairman Kim Jong-un had held on Jan. 1, would be omitted or replaced.
The situation of preparation for the party conference was also captured. On the 26th (local time), 38 North, a media specializing in North Korea, released a satellite image of thousands of people in formation at the Kim Il-Sung Square in Pyongyang, forming the red letters of the word’Society’. The media said, “The practice scene was also observed at the Mirim Airfield in the east of Pyongyang,” and “At least one parade is expected before and after the party conference. The US Free Asia Broadcasting (RFA) also quoted a source and said, “The selection of regional representatives to participate in the party conference has been completed.” As the North Korean media are not dealing with related news, there is no way to rule out the possibility that the new US administration Joe Biden will be delayed until mid- to late January.
Thousands of people were mobilized in North Korea’s Kim Il-Sung Square to prepare for the 8th Labor Party Congress scheduled to be held in January next year. On the 26th, 38 North, a media specializing in North Korea, released a satellite image of people gathered at the plaza formed in large formations and made red letters of ‘social advocacy’. 38 North Capture
North Korea breaks the silence and throws a message at Biden
North Korea has avoided mentioning the victory of Biden-elect, two months after the US presidential election on the 3rd of last month. However, it is expected that the party conference will break the long silence and present the direction of foreign strategy and send a message to the US and Korea. This is why both authorities and experts pay special attention to Chairman Kim’s mouth.
It is a general observation that the United States will open up the room for dialogue while pressing for the abolition of hostile policies and the implementation of the June 12 Joint Statement. It is analyzed that at least half a year before the new administration’s policy toward North Korea emerges, it will choose to manage the situation rather than provocation as much as necessary. Unification Minister Lee In-young also said in an interview on the 23rd, “There is a lot of possibility that (North Korea) will present a reserved or appeased position regarding the United States. A strong position will take a little more time and take a look at it.”
On the other hand, there is a view that we will reach out more actively. The fact that Chairman Kim sent a letter to President Moon Jae-in and mentioned “a dear South Korean compatriot” in a speech at a feverish speech on the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Labor Party is a kind of signal. Han-beom Cho, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said, “As Chairman Kim, there is no other way than to hold on and see opportunities,” and “I will not drive the inter-Korean relations into catastrophe.”
Focus on the economy… ‘Break through the front’ by strengthening self-reliance
It is expected that this Congress will focus on internal affairs such as the Party’s business and people’s livelihood, rather than shouting. In particular, as Chairman Kim himself admitted that he failed to achieve the five-year economic development strategy, “the harsh internal and external situation persists and unexpected challenges overlap”, there is a high possibility that specific economic development goals will be presented.
However, the dominant outlook is that a breakthrough route change will not be announced. Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the North Korean Graduate School, said, “We expect to continue the strategy of breaking through the head-on, emphasizing the spirit of self-reliance under the big goal of building a strong socialist state while maintaining the line of’concentrating total economic construction’ declared in 2018.” The Labor Newspaper also reiterated its determination to overcome economic difficulties without external support by repeating the word’self-rehabilitation’ 24 times in the article’Self-regeneration is a struggle spirit unique to our people, the original creation’ on the 28th.
Kang Yubin reporter [email protected]
Youngbin Jo reporter [email protected]
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