NK leader helms politburo meeting to prepare for party congress in early January

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presided over a politburo meeting of the Workers' Party and decided to hold a party congress early next month, state media reported Wednesday.

The politburo meeting, held Tuesday, "examined and made confirmation as to the qualifications of the delegates" and "proposals for forming the presidium, members of the platform and secretariat of the 8th Congress of the Party," according to the Korean Central News Agency.

It also adopted a decision on holding the congress in early January, KCNA said without specifying the date.

North Korea has said that it will hold a party congress for the first time in more than four years in January at which it will unveil a new economic development scheme.

The rare party congress has drawn keen attention from the outside world as the North could also announce its new policy line on the United States and South Korea amid stalled denuclearization talks.

Tuesday's politburo meeting also reviewed "innovative achievements and progress" made during the "80-day campaign," according to KCNA.

Kim launched the "80-day campaign" to achieve the country's national and economic goals ahead of the January party congress.

Pyongyang has emphasized "self-reliance" and called for nationwide efforts to overcome damage from summertime typhoons and the fallout from its protracted fight against the global coronavirus pandemic.

North Korea has not said when the 80-day campaign will end, but Seoul's unification ministry presumes it will be completed Wednesday, based on its analysis of state media reports. (Yonhap)