North Korea declares ‘strongest’ U.S. strategy in key party meeting By Reuters

By Hyunsoo Yim

SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held a key policy meeting of the country’s ruling party ahead of the new year last week, state media KCNA reported on Sunday.

The “strongest” response strategy against the US was announced at the party for the country’s security and national interests, the report said, without elaborating.

The tripartite alliance between South Korea, the US and Japan has expanded into a “nuclear military bloc” and South Korea has become an “anti-communist outpost” of the US, according to a KCNA report.

“The reality clearly suggests in which direction we should go, what and how we should do it,” the report says.

The meeting, which took place from December 23-27, according to the report, also discussed the response to floods earlier this year, including a plan to move victims to the capital, Pyongyang.

The isolated state also promised to promote relations during the meeting with “friendly” countries.

The congress of party and government officials often lasts several days and in recent years has been used to make major policy announcements.

The 11th Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea caps a year since Russian President Vladimir Putin held a summit with Kim Jong Un and signed a treaty that includes a mutual defense commitment.

Washington and Seoul have criticized the two countries’ military cooperation, including what they say were North Korean troops fighting for Russia in the war against Ukraine.

Earlier, state media published Kim’s speech on New Year’s Day.