SEOUL: North Korea's ruling party has a fragile economy and its government has been accused of prioritizing the military and its banned nuclear weapons programs over adequately providing for its people.
The upcoming meeting of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (CWP) will assess how national economic plans were carried out in the first half of 2023, the official Korean Central News Agency KCNA said.
The meeting will also discuss policy issues of weighty significance in the development of our revolution, KCNA said.
In early 2020, North Korea imposed a strict blockade in order to prevent the coronavirus and only resumed some trade with China last year.
In February, the WPK held a high-level party meeting to address food shortages and agricultural issues.
At that meeting, leader Kim Jong Un called for officials to ensure that grain production goals were met without fail.
This year, North Korea has completed a remarkable series of weapons trials, including its first solid-fuel ballistic missile, a major technological breakthrough.
Tokyo said that it was notified by Pyongyang of a plan to launch a satellite in the next few weeks, though the Japanese government said it is believed to be a ballistic missile.
It didn't say what type of satellite would be launched.
In April, North Korea said it has completed the construction of its first spy satellite, and Kim gave the green light for its launch.
To protect against what Pyongyang described as war by the United States and South Korea, Pyongyang said its weapons are designed to protect against what it describes as aggressive behavior by the United States and South Korea.
The two allies have increased military cooperation, including joint exercises in response to the growing threat from North Korea.
Pyongyang describes such exercises as rehearsals for an invasion.