N. Korea opens party plenary meeting with leader Kim in attendance

North Korea has convened a plenary meeting of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, attended by its leader Kim Jong-un, state media reported Saturday, amid expectations that it would discuss follow-up measures to implement a new partnership treaty with Russia.

North Korea held the 10th enlarged plenary meeting of the WPK's 8th Central Committee on Friday to review state policy performances in the first half, according to the Korean Central News Agency.

The meeting is also to "discuss and decide a series of important immediate issues arising in maintaining the upturn in the comprehensive development of Korean-style socialism," the KCNA said.

The report said five agenda items were approved by all members of the WPK Central Committee, and discussions on them are underway, without disclosing other details.

North Korea usually holds a party plenary meeting for a few days in June. But this year's meeting has drawn more attention due to the possibility that it could discuss detailed measures to expand cooperation with Russia following its signing with Moscow of a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty.

The North's leader Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a summit in Pyongyang on June 19, and clinched the treaty that calls for providing military assistance to each other without delay if either side comes under an armed attack.

Article 4 of the 23-point treaty could be seen as warranting automatic military intervention in the event of aggression against either country. That would amount to the restoration of a Cold War-era alliance for the first time in 28 years. (Yonhap)