North Korea prepares for major party congress amid growing challenges

By Sangmi Cha

 

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends a meeting of the Political Bureau of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers Party in Pyongyang, in this undated photo supplied by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on December 30, 2020. KCNA/via REUTERS

 

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un chaired a politburo meeting on preparations for a rare Congress that is expected to set new economic and political goals as the country faces growing challenges, state media said on Wednesday.

 

The Eighth Congress comes amid the presidential transition in the United States, which North Korea has yet to comment on. President Donald Trump had engaged in a number of historic meetings with the leader of the reclusive state during his administration and it is not yet clear what Joe Biden's presidency will mean for relations between Washington and Pyongyang.

 

North Korea has faced a number of challenges in 2020 with COVID-19 and a series of typhoons putting more pressure on an economy already battered by international sanctions aimed at stopping its nuclear programme.

 

The politburo meeting on Tuesday approved agendas and proposals to be presented at the congress and adopted a decision on holding it early in January next year, state news agency KCNA reported, without specifying an exact date.

 

In October, Kim called on his country to embark on an 80-day campaign to achieve its goals in every economic sector before the congress in January.

 

The politburo meeting appreciated that innovative achievements and progress had been made in all fields during the 80-day campaign, KCNA said.

 

"All the preparations for the Party Congress are going off smoothly," KCNA reported.

 

The congress last met in 2016, where Kim announced the first five-year economic plan since the 1980s and vowed to not use nuclear weapons unless the country's sovereignty was violated by others with nuclear arms. It was also when Kim was officially elected to the position of chairman of the ruling Workers' Party.

 

North Korea has not reported any coronavirus cases, but the economy took a further hit when the country closed its borders to nearly all traffic in a bid to prevent coronavirus outbreak.

 

(Reporting by Sangmi Cha; Editing by Sam Holmes)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-12-30

 

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1 hour ago, webfact said:

President Donald Trump had engaged in a number of historic meetings with the leader of the reclusive state during his administration

.....and how shallow did that turn out to be!

Perhaps little Kim could invite donald he’s down in the dumps rite now and could use some cheer 

1 hour ago, Tug said:

Perhaps little Kim could invite donald he’s down in the dumps rite now and could use some cheer 

Sure, they love each other, so hugs will help their personal issues.

1 hour ago, PatOngo said:

.....and how shallow did that turn out to be!

Summary; failed, failed and failed. An after each meeting un had the 'upper position'.

Citizens deserve a better leader than this.  Time for the chubby guy to go.

According to reports North Korean girls are good for it's economy.

10 hours ago, webfact said:

major party congress amid growing challenges

Interesting and from today's international news media:-

 

Kim Yo Jong Is Ready to Become the First Woman Dictator in Modern History

 

 

SEOUL—The star of the younger sister of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un has risen so fast and high in the country’s ruling firmament in 2020 as to make her appear as a stand-in for big brother if not his rival for power. At 32, four years younger than Jong Un, Kim Yo Jong has made her presence known through shockingly tough statements that he had to have endorsed but she clearly wrote and recommended.

2 hours ago, Burma Bill said:

Interesting and from today's international news media:-

 

Kim Yo Jong Is Ready to Become the First Woman Dictator in Modern History

 

 

SEOUL—The star of the younger sister of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un has risen so fast and high in the country’s ruling firmament in 2020 as to make her appear as a stand-in for big brother if not his rival for power. At 32, four years younger than Jong Un, Kim Yo Jong has made her presence known through shockingly tough statements that he had to have endorsed but she clearly wrote and recommended.

Uh ho time to get out the old aa gun and give her a squirt lol

So the sister will be dead by New Year, wait for it. I could be wrong.