North Korea holds key party meeting on H1 performance without disclosing leader Kim's speech

Seoul, June 24 (IANS) North Korea has held a key party meeting to review the implementation of state policies in the first half of the year, state media reported on Tuesday, without disclosing details of a speech by its leader Kim Jong-un in a rare move.

The North convened the 12th plenary session of the eighth Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) from Saturday to Monday, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The meeting was held to review policy performances in the first half and discuss policy directions for the second half, the KCNA said.

The North's leader Kim, who presided over the latest party meeting, delivered a speech, but state media did not disclose details. It remains uncertain whether Kim issued any message targeting the United States or South Korea during his speech.

South Korea's unification ministry said it was rare for North Korea to forgo disclosing Kim's speech and exclude diplomacy from areas of discussion at the meeting.

The North's party meeting had garnered attention over whether Kim would issue messages toward Washington and Seoul, as US President Donald Trump and President Lee Jae Myung have shown a conciliatory gesture toward North Korea.

"North Korea is presumed to have not disclosed (details of the meeting), given that South Korea and the US have not finalised their North Korea policy and the international security situation remains fluid amid Russia's war with Ukraine and the Israel-Iran conflict," a ministry official said.

At the party meeting, North Korea also did not deal with how to handle party officials responsible for the warship accident that occurred in May. Kim earlier blamed the accident on "absolute carelessness" and "irresponsibility" and ordered the ship's restoration before the WPK meeting.

A new 5,000-tonne destroyer tipped over and became partially submerged during a launch ceremony in late May in the northeastern port of Chongjin. The North launched it at the Rajin shipyard after weeks of repair.

Meanwhile, North Korea said it unanimously approved a plan to convene the ninth party congress at the latest party meeting, calling the event an important "watershed" for the development of the WPK.

North Korea's last party congress, a key party event held every five years, was held in January 2021, where the regime unveiled a list of sophisticated weapons Kim had vowed to develop, such as military spy satellites and solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles.

The unification ministry said the North may convene the party congress at the end of this year or early next year, Yonhap news agency reported.

"North Korea apparently intends to focus on preparing for the WPK's 80th founding anniversary set for October and the ninth party congress while hurriedly covering up defects and errors related to the warship accident," the ministry official noted.

Citing photos carried by the North's state media, the ministry said Ri Hee-yong, a party secretary, is presumed to have been promoted to a praesidium member of the party's politburo from a member.

Ri Pyong-chol, general adviser for the party's munitions policy, was apparently demoted to a member from a member of the praesidium of the political bureau. Ri Il-whan, a party secretary believed to be under punishment, was not seen attending the meeting.

--IANS

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