Kim Jong-un to Hold Plenary Meeting in Late This Month... Will There Be Messages for the U.S. and South Korea?

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] North Korea will hold the Workers' Party Central Committee plenary meeting in late December to decide the direction of national governance for the next year. Experts analyze that this meeting is likely to issue not only next year's plans but also Kim Jong-un, the General Secretary of the Workers' Party, messages toward the United States and South Korea.

On the 2nd, the Korean Central News Agency reported that the 5th Political Bureau meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Party was held on the 1st under the chairmanship of Kim Jong-un, the General Secretary of the Workers' Party, and at this meeting, a decision was adopted to convene the 4th plenary meeting of the 8th Central Committee in late December.

The agency stated, "According to the decision, the 4th plenary meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Party will be convened in late December to summarize the implementation status of the major party and state policies of 2021 and to discuss and decide on the business plans for the new year."

This plenary meeting is likely to be held ahead of December 30, when Kim Jong-un was appointed Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army 10 years ago, and it is expected to be an occasion to showcase the achievements of his 10 years in power and decide the direction of national governance for the new year in both external and internal sectors.

According to the news agency, Kim Jong-un evaluated that "the national economy has been managed stably, and great achievements have been made in the agricultural and construction sectors, which our Party values, as well as positive changes occurring in overall national affairs including politics, economy, culture, and defense."

He also stated, "The achievements we have made show that the overall planned projects aimed at building the foundation for the country's economic development and improving the people's living standards are progressing vigorously, giving us confidence in a new victory of our style socialism," and gave an overall assessment that this year is "a year of victory."

Regarding next year's plans, he emphasized that "the next year is an important year in which a tremendously vast struggle must be carried out, no less than this year," and stressed that the Central Committee of the Party must establish the new year's plans well to lay the foundation for the five-year plan's implementation.

Experts predict that messages toward South Korea and the United States are highly likely to be issued at this plenary meeting. Professor Yang Moo-jin of the University of North Korean Studies said, "The Party plenary meeting will effectively serve as a 'mini Party Congress,'" and analyzed that "there is a strong possibility that foreign and South Korea-related messages will be issued through the results of the Party plenary meeting."