N. Korea to hold key party meeting this week to discuss 'increasing fighting efficiency'

All News 08:46 August 18, 2020

By Koh Byung-joon

SEOUL, Aug. 18 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Tuesday it will hold a plenary Central Committee meeting of the Workers' Party (WKP) this week to "discuss and decide on an issue of crucial significance in developing the Korean revolution and increasing the fighting efficiency of the party."

The official Korean Central News Agency didn't provide further details on the meeting set for Wednesday, including what exactly will be discussed, but observers expect that the session could deal with organizational issues given that the North has recently held party meetings to discuss launching a new party organization.

This week's meeting comes after leader Kim Jong-un presided over an executive policy council meeting of the Worker's Party on Aug. 5 and decided to launch "a new department within the Central Committee of the Party."

Last week, the North also held a politburo meeting to decide on setting up a new department in the Central Committee and defined its function and role, saying that the newly established organization will "make tangible contribution to safeguarding the dignity and interests of the state and people."

The meeting could also touch upon issues related to the lives of its people as the country is facing a double whammy of preventing an outbreak of the coronavirus and restoring damage caused by recent heavy downpours.

Wednesday's meeting will mark the first time in about eight months that the North has held a plenary meeting of the Central Committee since Kim presided over a rare multiple-day plenary session late last year.

During last year's session, Kim threatened that the world will soon witness a "new strategic weapon" and warned of "shocking actual action," accusing the U.S. of dragging its feet in talks for its own political interests.