North Korea announces ‘stronger’ US strategy at key party meeting by Reuters

(Files to add missing word “meeting” in paragraph 2)

By Hyunsoo Yim

SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held a key policy-setting meeting for the country’s ruling party last week ahead of the new year, North Korea’s KCNA news agency reported on Sunday.

The report stated that the “stronger” response strategy towards the United States was announced during the party meeting for the sake of the country’s safety and national interests, without providing any details.

The KCNA report added that the tripartite alliance between South Korea, the United States and Japan expanded into a “nuclear military bloc” and South Korea became an “anti-communist outpost” for the United States.

“Reality clearly indicates the direction in which we should go, what we should do and how,” the report said.

The meeting, held from December 23 to 27, also reviewed the handling of floods earlier this year, including the plan that brought those affected to the capital, Pyongyang, the report said.

During the meeting, the isolated country also pledged to strengthen relations with “friendly” countries.

The meeting of party and government officials often lasts a few days and has been used in recent years to make major policy announcements.

The 11th plenary session of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea concludes a year in which Russian President Vladimir Putin held a summit with Kim and signed an agreement that included a pledge for mutual defense.

Washington and Seoul have criticized military cooperation between the two countries, including what they say is sending North Korean forces to fight alongside Russia in its war against Ukraine.

Earlier, state media published Kim’s New Year’s Day speech.