SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un convened a significant meeting of top officials to discuss the upcoming full congress of the ruling Workers' Party, set to take place for the first time in five years. According to state media, this plenary gathering aims to establish new priorities amid ongoing efforts by the United States and South Korea to resume diplomatic talks with the isolated nation.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim chaired the meeting of the Central Committee on Tuesday, where participants commenced discussions on key issues that will be addressed at the party congress and reviewed the state's policies from the current year. Although KCNA did not disclose specific details, it is anticipated that the plenary meeting will continue for several days, culminating in an official agenda for the congress expected to be held in January or February 2024.
Since its revival in 2016 after a 36-year break, the congress has served as the primary decision-making body of the Workers' Party, with Kim reportedly seeking to enhance the party's authority to further solidify his control over North Korea. This congress will attract significant external attention, particularly regarding whether Kim will respond positively to overtures from the U.S. and South Korea aimed at improving bilateral relations.
North Korea has consistently rejected calls from the U.S. and South Korea to restart talks following the collapse of nuclear negotiations between Kim and former President Donald Trump in 2019. However, experts speculate that there is a possibility Kim might reconsider engaging in dialogue with the U.S. next year. In a notable response to Trump's repeated efforts to reach out, Kim indicated in September that he could be open to discussions if the U.S. abandons its "delusional obsession" with North Korea's denuclearization.
On a military front, South Korea's armed forces reported that North Korea conducted artillery exercises by firing several rounds off its western coast on Tuesday. Analysts interpret these artillery launches as part of the North Korean military's winter training regimen.
In a shift last year, Kim announced the abandonment of North Korea's long-held objective of peaceful unification with South Korea. He directed changes to North Korea's constitution to designate the South as a permanent adversary, further entrenching the divide between the two Koreas.
