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North Korean State Affairs Commission President Kim Jong-un guided the 4th enlarged meeting of the 9th Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea on the 25th, Korean Central Television reported on the 26th. The meeting was attended by members of the Presidium of the Political Bureau, as well as members and alternate members of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee. / Yonhap News

North Korea held an enlarged meeting of the party politburo presided over by State Affairs Commission President Kim Jong-un, hearing reports on the current status of major economic sectors. As problems recently arose regarding the squandering of state funds due to corruption among high-ranking Korean People's Army officials, the meeting is interpreted as focusing on domestic governance agendas, such as enhancing efficiency and resource allocation for inflows coming through Russia and China. The complete absence of any mention regarding North Korea-U.S. dialogue is also analyzed as sending a message that relations with the U.S. remain a secondary priority.

The Korean Central News Agency reported on the 26th that the 4th enlarged meeting of the 9th Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee was held the previous day, discussing measures to reinforce political and working-level solutions to fulfill the new five-year plan. The agency stated, "The issue of economic guidance organs and policy guidance departments of the Party Central Committee displaying an extraordinary sense of responsibility and high degree of discretion was emphasized," adding, "Strategic adjustments and timely countermeasures were reviewed to conclude this year's projects and reinforce enforcement capabilities for short-term and mid- to long-term tasks."

Addressing the issues raised during the implementation of the 9th Party Congress decisions, Kim said, "These shortcomings are the consequences of immature planning and command capabilities of economic guidance organs that have failed to match our elevated ideals and strengthened momentum, and they can be overcome if we brace ourselves with renewed resolve and fighting spirit."

Some observers analyze that this meeting should be viewed as an extension of the incident in July, where Park Hee-cheol, former deputy director of the Organization Department of the General Political Bureau of the KPA, was caught and punished for selling public offices and embezzling state funds, supplies, and housing. With an increasing inflow of supplies through Russia and China, the meeting is seen as an effort to re-emphasize the eradication of corruption, ideological arming, and improved resource allocation efficiency.

Kwak Gil-seop, a guest research fellow at Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies, noted, "For North Korea, there is a need to manage domestic economic and diplomatic demands arising from bloc diplomacy," adding, "Given the corruption scandals in the military, discussions appear to have taken place to re-emphasize ideological rearmament and smoothly advance the Regional Development 20×10 Policy." Kim In-tae, a senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Strategy, analyzed, "Amid sluggish trends in task implementation during the first year of the new five-year plan following the 9th Party Congress, the focus seems to have been placed on driving economic policies, even using the term 'strategic adjustments,'" adding, "The meeting is expected to reprioritize implementation tasks."

It is also noteworthy that matters regarding the U.S. were not mentioned at all, even as President Trump has been setting the stage for North Korea-U.S. dialogue. This is interpreted as signaling that North Korea's policy toward the U.S. is currently on the back burner.

Meanwhile, President Trump continued his overtures toward North Korea on the 25th (local time). He reposted a message from the 16th on social media regarding directives to scale back South Korea-U.S. joint military drills, merely adjusting the tense to the past.

                                                                                                         Mok Yong-jae