A general meeting of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea was held at the end of December, at which previous projects were reviewed and major policy challenges for the coming year were identified. During the main meeting, which lasted for several days, Kim Jong-un outlined the rural development strategy, and the participants discussed next year’s budget and other topics, the Korean Central News Agency reported. At the end of the event, the North Korean dictator’s closing speech was also given, as usual, in which Kim Jong-un emphasized that
North Korea’s main goal by 2022 will be to kick-start economic growth and raise people’s living standards.
The country’s leader has good reason to make economic recovery his most important task. Due to the coronavirus epidemic and the resulting trade restrictions, the North Korean economy is facing unprecedented difficulties, which Kim Jong-un had to admit earlier. Observers say his strength is stronger than ever.
The North Korean dictator used his previous New Year’s speeches to announce a far-reaching foreign policy, including making important diplomatic commitments to South Korea and the United States. That is why it is surprising now that in the summary of his speech in the state media, America was not specifically mentioned, only inter-Korean relations were mentioned.
In his speech, Kim Jongun focused mainly on issues of local politics, from ambitious plans for rural development, to people’s diets, to school uniforms. TOn The economic problems Kim Jong-un is facing at home due to the coronavirus shutdown, sanctions over a nuclear weapons program, and the deepening economic crisis caused by natural disasters have been highlighted.
Experts believe, however, that the North Korean leader deliberately addressed issues such as rural development in his speech, rather than talking about military developments, new weapons in the making. In their view, Kim Jong-un realizes that he has not had the good fortune to focus on such topics this year, while the vast majority of North Koreans suffer from food shortages and harsh living conditions.
Cover photo source: MTI / AP / KCNA
