N. Korea focuses on economy in 2022 policy direction, skips messages on S. Korea, U.S.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made clear he will place policy priorities in 2022 on developing the national economy and bolstering antivirus efforts, according to Pyongyang's state media Saturday.

He delivered the message during a major Workers' Party plenary held earlier this week to set the policy directions for the new year.

The North, however, stopped short of providing the outside world with fresh clues to its key policies related to inter-Korean ties and denuclearization talks with the United States, which the South Korean government construed as indicating Pyongyang will stick to the "existing policy line" under its five-year national development project.

Some experts here also said the Kim regime does not seem to be ready yet for the resumption of dialogue.

In the five-day 4th Plenary Meeting of the party's 8th Central Committee, which finished the previous day, participants described the continued development of advanced weapons systems as a "very important" achievement for 2021. Kim attended the session.

"The military environment of the Korean peninsula and the trend of the international situation getting instable day after day demand that bolstering the state defense capability be further powerfully propelled without a moment's delay," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a lengthy report.

Among other agenda items were key policy directions for inter-Korean relations and foreign affairs "to cope with the rapidly changing international political situation and the circumstances in the surroundings."

It did not give details on the results of relevant discussions.

Source: Yonhap News Agency

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