ADVERTISEMENTThe meetings coincided with the 10-year anniversary of Kim effectively assuming leadership of the country after the death of his father in 2011. Kim has used previous speeches around the New Year to make major policy announcements, including launching significant diplomatic engagements with South Korea and the United States. The tractor factory he discussed in the speech is also likely to be used to build launch vehicles for missiles, foreign analysts have said, and North Korea is believed to have expanded its arsenal despite the lockdowns. The big focus on rural development is likely a populist strategy, said Chad O’Carroll, founder of NK News, a Seoul-based website that tracks North Korea. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy PolicyRead Next

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer January 01, 2022 16:17 UTC