Kim Jong-un says North Korea faces “worst situation in history”

The leader of North Korea, Kim jong un, admitted on Tuesday that his country faces the “worst situation in its history” during a speech to thousands of grassroots members of the ruling party at a major political conference in Pyongyang.

Experts say Kim may be facing his most difficult time in nearly a decade in power, with coronavirus isolation causing new problems in an economy already ravaged by decades of mismanagement and crippling sanctions directed by the United States for its nuclear weapons program.

Kim made the remarks during the opening speech at a meeting of the Workers’ Party cell secretaries, the state’s Central News Agency reported.

“Improving the standard of living of the population, even in the worst situation in history in which we have to overcome many unprecedented challenges, depends on the role played by the cells, the grassroots organizations of the party.Kim pointed out.

The president called on members to implement decisions taken at a congress in January, when he pledged to step up nuclear deterrence in the face of US pressure and announced a new five-year development plan. That meeting came months later, at another political conference, Kim displayed unusual frankness in acknowledging that his plans to improve the economy were failing.

North Korea has informed WHO that until April 1 carried out diagnostic tests for the coronavirus on 23,121 people, without recording any infection, as confirmed by the agency to the agency AP.

Outside analysts have expressed doubts whether North Korea has been completely spared from the pandemic, due to its poor health infrastructure and a porous border shared with China.

During the pandemic, the communist regime severely restricted cross-border transit, banned the arrival of tourists, removed diplomats and mobilized health workers to quarantine tens of thousands of people who were showing symptoms. North Korea this week became the first country to withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics over coronavirus fears.

In Tuesday’s speech, Kim also criticized the party’s base units for unspecified “deficiencies” which should be corrected immediately to ensure the “healthy and sustainable” development of the organization..

The party cells, which typically have between five and 30 members, are its smallest units of authority, overseeing work and life in factories and elsewhere. The network is an important tool in perpetuating the power of the Workers’ Party. The last cell secretaries conference took place in 2017.

The economic setbacks have left Kim with nothing to show for his ambitious diplomacy with former US President Donald Trump, which collapsed over disagreements over the lifting of sanctions in exchange for progress towards denuclearization.

For now, Pyongyang has rejected the Joe Biden administration’s negotiating proposal, noting that Washington must abandon its “hostile” policies sooner, and has stepped up the pressure by resuming ballistic missile testing last month after a year. suspension.

(With AP information)

KEEP READING: