North Korea’s first ruling party congress for almost four decades proclaimed the formal start of the Kim Jong-Un era, but the event was more notable for nods to the past than promises for the future.
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China fought for North Korea in the 1950-53 Korean War and ties were close for decades afterward. Nam Sung-wook of Korea University.
South Korean officials and North Korea watchers elsewhere had warned of a high possibility that Pyongyang might – as a show of strength – carry out a test in the run-up to the conclave, or even during the event itself.
“Instead of just rejecting peace treaty talks, which (actually) was brought forth by some in Washington previous year, we should approach it with more imagination”, Na said, saying that South Korea should hold the initiative in inter-Korean relations.
But the friendship has come under strain recently as North Korea’s nuclear weapons program and belligerent statements prompted the global community to pressure China to lean on the regime.
The official did not reveal how the information was obtained and spoke on condition of anonymity because it involved confidential intelligence on North Korea.
The four-day party congress, which ended on Monday, marked the first such gathering of the party’s top decision-making body in more than 35 years.
In a speech to congress, Jong-un retained his usual defiance on his country’s right to develop a nuclear arsenal, but said the weapons would not be used unless North Korea was threatened with an atomic attack. In March, China backed a United Nations resolution mandating new global sanctions against North Korea, following its fourth nuclear test in January.
North Korean officials periodically disappear from the public eye only to emerge months later, usually after rumors and reports of their execution. “North Korea has been choosing hospitals and technological facilities to show foreign correspondents while refusing to allow them to cover the party congress for the second day in a row”.
“He has been formally promoted from first secretary to chairman of the ruling Workers’ Party, but in reality his power was already absolute”.
Reporter Rupert Wingfield-Hayes was interrogated for eight hours before being flown to Beijing, the BBC said.
Kim is elevated to position that didn’t previously exist, and is for now mostly symbolic Kim Jong-un was elected chairman of the Korean Workers’ Party (KWP) during its seventh congress on May 9, Japan’s NHK network reported from Pyongyang.
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“It seems that he was purged before but not executed”, a ministry official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
