As North Korea announced that it would hold the 8th Party Congress in the beginning of this month, the atmosphere of the Party Congress is rising every day. A government official said, “North Korea omits this year’s New Year’s speech and is focusing on the party conference.” “There are situations where the party is preparing for the party conference’s side events, and the North Korean media also have a’significant year for the 8th conference’ (4 Work),’A better tomorrow is coming’ (2nd), raising the atmosphere.”
National Intelligence Service “Possibility to take on a position appropriate to Kim Yeo-jung’s status”
It could be considered as a political event celebrating Kim Jong-un’s birthday.
Lee In-young unification “The time of great transformation on the Korean Peninsula, expecting a positive message”
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On the first day of the New Year in 2021, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visits the Geumsu Mountain Solar Palace with representatives of the 8th Labor Party Congress. [연합뉴스]
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Government authorities have expected to start the party congress as early as the 4th or 5th. North Korea did not disclose the specific schedule as well as the news of the party conference until the afternoon of the 4th.
North Korea gathered delegates to Pyongyang at the end of last month and handed out their representatives. On the 1st, Kim Jong-un, chairman of the State Council, visited the Geumsoosan Solar Palace, where the bodies of President Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il were enshrined. It means that the pre-events of the party conference are over. An official of the Ministry of Unification said, “In 2016, we broadcasted (TV) the evening of the party conference and released it through the Labor Newspaper the next day.
![North Korea's Chosun Jungang TV reported that on the 31st of last month, it held an event to present representative certificates to representatives attending the 8th Congress of the Labor Party. The original proposal was Lee Seon-kwon, Foreign Minister. [연합뉴스]](https://i0.wp.com/pds.joins.com/news/component/htmlphoto_mmdata/202101/04/2b855137-4a1f-4652-b263-3f6d5e672069.jpg?w=900&ssl=1)
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North Korea’s Chosun Jungang TV reported that on the 31st of last month, it held an event to present representative certificates to representatives attending the 8th Congress of the Labor Party. The original proposal was Lee Seon-kwon, Foreign Minister. [연합뉴스]
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In particular, there is a high possibility that the party congress, which North Korea considers as the largest political event, will be related to Chairman Kim’s birthday event. Jin Hee-gwan, a professor at Inje University’s Faculty of Unification, said, “North Korea held the past party congress for a short period of 4 days (2016) and as long as 12 days (1970). In this year, for the first time this year, it may also have the meaning of commemorating his birthday.”
If North Korea holds the party conference as preceded by the past, it will be held according to the schedule of Chairman Kim’s business summary report → discussion → adoption of decision → reappointment of Chairman Kim → 1st plenary meeting. At the 7th Party Congress in 2016, Chairman Kim devoted a full day to the settlement of projects for each field of 75,000 characters after the opening declaration, and adopted the decision on the fourth day (May 9) after discussion. Even if the party congress begins this time, it is highly likely that various results will not be released until the last day. However, some are raising the possibility of shortening the size and duration of the event compared to the past due to the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19).
One of the points to watch at this party conference is the reinforcement of the status of the first vice president of the Labor Party, Kim Yeo-jeong. The National Intelligence Service predicted that on November 3, last year, he would take a position that fits his status at the state administration audit. Kim Yeo-jung is actually being evaluated as the “number 2”, but in the party, he is staying as a candidate for the political bureau. Therefore, there are many observations that with this party congress, there is a high possibility that an institutional’sibling politics’ will be achieved by ascending to the party’s head or as a member with the voting rights of the political bureau.
As the party conference is held ahead of the inauguration of the US administration on the 20th, Joe Biden is also interested in messages to the US and Korea. Five years ago, Chairman Kim emphasized the unification and halting the spread of shears in the border area, saying, “We must open a new chapter in the development of foreign relations in accordance with the status of a nuclear power country.” Since then, Chairman Kim met with President Moon Jae-in and US President Donald Trump three times each. However, as North Korea did not lift sanctions against North Korea that North Korea wanted, it is noteworthy how to evaluate the previous summit meetings and present plans for the future. Unification Minister Lee In-young said in his New Year’s address, “I think that a time of great transformation concentrated for peace on the Korean Peninsula is opening in front of us.” said.
![Unification Minister Lee In-young is giving a New Year's address at the 2021 opening ceremony held by a video conference on the 4th. [사진 통일부]](https://i0.wp.com/pds.joins.com/news/component/htmlphoto_mmdata/202101/04/e3e21765-c946-42e9-ae36-c3ef3bd70764.jpg?w=900&ssl=1)
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Unification Minister Lee In-young is giving a New Year’s address at the 2021 opening ceremony held by a video conference on the 4th. [사진 통일부]
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It is also a point to watch how Chairman Kim, who said “I’m sorry” to residents several times at the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the party in October last year, will try to overcome the economy facing difficulties due to sanctions against North Korea, Corona 19, and natural disasters. North Korea convened a party congress and announced a five-year plan for national economic development.
Reporter Jeong Yong-soo [email protected]
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