North Korea's ruling Workers' Party has said it will hold its biggest congress in decades next May. Major state policies and a reshuffle of the party's leadership are believed to be likely topics on the meeting's agenda.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/MAXPPP
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The party announced the convention on Friday, just weeks after it celebrated its 70th anniversary with a lavish military parade (pictured). It will be the party's seventh congress since the party was formed.
A statement, released by the North's official KCNA news agency said the country was faced with "the heavy yet sacred task" of building a "thriving" nation.
Exactly what will be discussed remains unclear, however, with the dispatch saying only that the congress will "further strengthen the party ... and enhance its leading role."
Observers said the convention would provide North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un with the chance to signal any significant policy shifts or reshuffle the party leadership, as seen at previous party congresses.
North Korea marks 70 years of the ruling party
North Korea has marked the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party with a lavish military parade. DW takes a look at what is being described as one of the secretive country's biggest ever celebrations.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo
Huge celebration
Thousands of goose-stepping soldiers filed through Pyongyang's main Kim Il Sung Square, named after North Korea's founding leader, as the country marked the ruling party's 70th birthday on Saturday. The buildings around the plaza were festooned with red party flags and the national colors of blue, red and white.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo
Show to remember
Jet planes flew in formation overhead, as cheering crowds below held up colored squares to spell out a giant "70." The carefully choreographed festivities took months of careful planning and a mammoth mobilization of state personnel and resources.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo
Close friends
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un saluted during the military parade alongside Liu Yunshan (third right), a senior official from China's ruling Communist Party. China was the only country to send a diplomat to attend the 70th anniversary celebration. North Korea is politically isolated in the international community, and China remains an important diplomatic ally and trading partner.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo
Military might
Kim presided over the parade as troops marched in formation, led first by a corps of soldiers dressed in the style of the revolutionary force that fought Japan during World War II.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/M.-E Wong
Weapons on display
Then came columns of tanks, armored vehicles, rocket launchers and ballistic missiles, in a show aimed to boost patriotism and demonstrate North Korea's military strength. When plans for the grand parade were announced back in February, the ruling party's top decision-making body stressed the importance of "cutting-edge" weaponry.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo
Dear Leader
Dressed in his customary black suit, Kim Jong Un made a rare speech at the parade, telling the cheering crowds that the country was ready to fight threats posed by the US. "Our revolutionary armed forces are capable of fighting any kind of war provoked by the US and we are ready to protect our people and the blue sky of our motherland," he said.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo
Powerful dynasty
Kim Jong Un is the third generation in his family's dynasty. His grandfather, Kim Il Sung, founded the Workers' Party in 1945 and was later succeeded by Kim's father, Kim Jong Il (above). The original leadership of Kim Il Sung spawned a personality cult in the 1960s that redefined the party "as the party of the leader, and has remained so ever since," North Korea expert Andrei Lankov told AFP.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo
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Three decades since last congress
The Workers' Party last held a congress in October 1980, under North Korea's founding leader Kim Il Sung. His son and successor Kim Jong Il never called a congress, however.
Next year's meeting will therefore be a first for Kim Jong Un, who took power after the death of his dictator father in late 2011.
During his first four years as leader, Kim has struggled to revive the North's declining economy, while also dealing with an international standoff over his country's nuclear and missile programs.
North-South tension
A South Korean news report said on Friday that North Korea is digging a new tunnel at its nuclear test site.
"The fact that they are constructing a new tunnel indicates the intention is to conduct a nuclear test at some point," the source was quoted as saying. There was no evidence to conclude the preparation was for an imminent test, the source added.
