Summary of domestic news in North Korea this week

NK weekly-domestic news

Summary of domestic news in North Korea this week

SEOUL, Feb. 13 (Yonhap) -- The following is a summary of domestic news in North Korea this week.

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N. Korea to convene key party congress in late February: KCNA

SEOUL -- North Korea will hold a key party congress in late February, the North's state media reported Sunday, in a rare meeting where leader Kim Jong-un is expected to announce his ruling policy, including diplomacy and economy.

The decision by the North Korean ruling party's political bureau came after a meeting of the political bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea the previous day, which was presided over by party secretary Jo Yong-won under the guidance of Kim, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

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N. Korea's Kim visits defense ministry to mark army founding anniv. ahead of key party congress

SEOUL -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has visited the defense ministry to mark the 78th founding anniversary of the military, saying that the North Korean army will further play an "outstanding" role in the next five years, state media reported Monday.

Kim made a congratulatory visit to the Ministry of National Defense the previous day to mark the 78th founding anniversary of the Korean People's Army (KPA), according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

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N. Korea warns Japan against forging military alliances as war criminal

SEOUL -- North Korea warned Wednesday that Japan, a war criminal country, should not forge military alliances with foreign nations, slamming its recent expansion of defense equipment trade with Canada.

The Rodong Sinmun, the North's most widely read newspaper published by the ruling party, issued the warning, citing a recent equipment and technology transfer agreement between Japan and Canada aimed at laying the groundwork for exchanges of defense equipment and technology.

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N. Korea says 50,000-unit housing construction project in Pyongyang nearing completion

SEOUL -- North Korea said Wednesday that a landmark housing project launched at a previous party congress to build 50,000 living units in Pyongyang will soon be complete, marking a major preparatory step ahead of another party congress later this month.

"The goal of building 50,000 living units in the capital, set at the eighth party congress, is nearing ... final completion according to the party-set schedule," the Rodong Sinmun, the party-run newspaper, said.

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N. Korea holds events to gather momentum ahead of key party congress

SEOUL -- North Korea has held various events to gather public momentum ahead of its key party congress set for late this month, featuring an art exhibition and ceremonies for local farmers, state media reported Thursday.

A book and art exhibition took place at the Korean Art Museum in Pyongyang the previous day, showcasing some 10,000 literature and science books on the political ideology and performances of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

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N.K. leader's sister calls Seoul's regret over drone incursion 'sensible'

SEOUL -- The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called the South Korean unification minister's expression of regret over the drone incursion into the North "sensible behavior," and demanded steps to prevent such a recurrence.

"I think it fortunate that Chung Dong-young, minister of unification of the ROK, officially expressed regret ... over the case of drone intrusion into the DPRK," Kim Yo-jong was quoted by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) as saying in a statement. "I appreciate it as quite sensible behavior."

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Chinese envoy reaffirms policy to advance traditional friendship with N. Korea: newspaper

SEOUL -- China's Ambassador to North Korea Wang Yajun has reaffirmed Beijing's "unwavering" policy to advance the traditional friendship with North Korea, a North Korean newspaper reported Friday.

"Safeguarding, cementing and advancing the traditional China-North Korea friendship is the Chinese party, and the government's unwavering policy," the Rodong Sinmun newspaper quoted Wang as saying at a Lunar New Year address at the Chinese Embassy in Pyongyang the previous day.

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