Secretive North Korea hails nuclear programme as it opens party congress

North Korea opened the first congress of its ruling Workers’ Party in 36 years on Friday, with leader Kim Jong-un expected to further consolidate his control over a country that has grown increasingly isolated over its pursuit of nuclear weapons. Secretive North Korea trumpeted “miraculous results” ahead of the event and said advances in nuclear and ballistic missile developments, made in defiance of UN sanctions, were “the greatest gifts” for the rare party congress, but little of substance was revealed. There was no word in Pyongyang from official sources about the proceedings other than that the meeting was under way. State television provided no live coverage of the congress during the daytime, devoting its programming to archive material, films and patriotic concerts. It began its programming earlier than usual, and kicked off with a woman announcer voicing the people’s “deepest gratitude” to Kim for preparing this “grand political festival”. Founding leader, Kim Il-sung, spoke for more than five hours at the last party congress. Kim Jong-il, who almost never spoke in public, did not hold a party congress. The congress opened on a rainy morning in the April 25 House of Culture, a stone building draped in red party flags where the congress is expected to run for several days. Some 130 journalists flocked to North Korea at the express invitation of Pyongyang authorities to cover the opening. They got within 200 metres of the venue and that was where they were stopped – on the other side of the road, under the steady drizzle. Instead of a rare glimpse of the country’s highest-level political meeting for almost four decades, the media were offered a tour of the March 26 Electric Cable Factory. As Kim stages once-in-a-generation party congress, will nuclear test follow? Foreign analysts expect the third-generation leader of the Kim dynasty to formally adopt his “Byongjin” policy of simultaneously pursuing nuclear weapons and economic development, and to further consolidate his power. “Kim is after catching two rabbits, a nuclear arsenal and economic development, and he’s likely going to declare the country is a nuclear weapons state, so that’s one rabbit,” said Yang Moo-jin of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul. “He might also lay out a five-year or seven-year blueprint for the development of the people’s economy,” Yang said. Kim has aggressively pursued nuclear weapons and missile technology. In March, the UN Security Council adopted another series of resolutions toughening sanctions against North Korea, which conducted its fourth nuclear weapons test in January. Giant neighbour China, the North’s lone major ally, backed the resolutions, growing frustrated over its nuclear tests. Delegates from China were also absent from the once-in-a-generation event, mainland media said on Friday, in a potential sign of fraying ties. According to the Global Times, China’s representatives were not invited. “North Korea wants to maintain its independent stance,” professor Da Zhigang of the Institute of Northeast Asian Studies told the newspaper. “It can’t decide who to invite because it involves the interests of many sides.” Chinese experts say China’s absence from the congress has highlighted the deteriorating relations between China and North Korea following China’s support of a UN sanction against North Korea in March. “After the sanction, relations between China and North Korea have reached the lowest point in history,” said Lu Chao, director of the Border Studies Institute at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences in the northeastern province that borders North Korea. “China is “highly concerned” about the congress despite its absence, in particular with the North Korea’s economic, diplomacy and defense policy which will directly affect the national security of China being its neighboring country,” said Lu. Domestically, the rare political gathering has the significance in marking the consolidation of power of Kim, said both Lu and Li Dunqiu, an expert in Korean studies with Zhejiang University. “Kim Jong-un’s father Kim Jong-il never holds such meeting during his term because the army at the time held much stronger power than the party,” said Li, “But Kim Jong-un has retrieved the power from the military and the party’s significance has been restored with Kim having full control over the country’s economic policy.” Kim Jong-un is likely to use the meeting to consolidate his vision of a dual-track approach in which the country focuses on both economic and nuclear development, Li said. A younger leadership team is also expected to be announced after the meeting as the country reshuffles its top leadership. Lu, however, believes that meeting could be an occasion for Kim to adjust his nuclear policy following the recent signal given by his foreign minister. In a rare interview with AP in late April, North Korea’s Foreign Minister Ri Su Yong said North Korea is ready to halt its nuclear tests if the United States suspends its annual military exercises with South Korea. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei, asked about the congress at the daily briefing in Beijing, said North Korea was at an important stage in its national development. “We also hope North Korea can listen to the voice of the international community, and jointly maintain northeast Asia’s lasting peace and stability,” Hong said. Thousands of delegates from around North Korea had been expected to attend the first congress to be held since 1980, before the 33-year-old Kim was born. Security guards in suits and ties surrounded the venue. The Byongjin policy follows Kim’s father’s Songun, or “military first” policy, and his grandfather’s Juche, the North’s home-grown founding ideology that combines Marxism and extreme nationalism. State radio said the 7th Workers’ Party congress would “unveil the brilliant blueprint to bring forward the final victory of our revolution”, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency. North Korean state media has trumpeted a 70-day campaign of intensified productivity in the run-up to the congress, and Pyongyang has been spruced up for the event. The state-run KCNA news agency cited advances in nuclear and ballistic missile development, crediting military scientists and engineers for accomplishments that are “the greatest gifts” for the party congress. “Miraculous results were produced,” KCNA said, touting production in the industrial sector that achieved 144 per cent of target and electricity generation 110 per cent, although the actual targets were not given. More taxis and private cars on the streets, more goods in shops, and more buildings under construction attest to growing prosperity and consumption among Pyongyang residents. Additional reporting by Catherine Wong and Agence France-Presse