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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| N. Korea's ruling party to convene |
| 2010-06-26 |
| SEOUL, June 26 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's ruling party said Saturday it will convene its Political Bureau in early September, a move that suggests the country may officially start the process of power transition. The session is "for electing its (party's) highest leading body reflecting the new requirements of the WPK (Workers' Party of Korea)," the announcement, carried by the North's Korean Central News Agency, said. North Korea's top leader, Kim Jong-il, is said to have suffered a stroke last August as his health was deteriorating from other chronic ailments. Intelligence officials believe the youngest of his three sons, Kim Jong-un, is being groomed to succeed him. Experts say that this year's ruling party meeting is aimed at reshuffling the organization and consolidating Kim Jong-un's position as heir. It will also commemorate the 65th anniversary of the founding of the WPK. "We are now faced with the sacred revolutionary tasks to develop the WPK ... into an eternal glorious party of Kim Il-sung and further increase its militant function and role to glorify the country as a country prosperous and powerful socialist nation," the announcement said. This year's session is the first in 44 years since the last gathering was held in 1966. The first meeting of the party was convened in 1958. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #1 |
| Posted by: gorb 2010-06-26 00:27 |