This archive report was first published on 29 December 2019.
North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un, has convened a high-level meeting of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, sparking concerns about a potential intercontinental ballistic missile test.
According to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the plenary session, which opened on Saturday, December 28, 2019, will focus on a new 'transparent, anti-imperialist independent stand'.
The meeting comes as the US and North Korea remain deadlocked in talks over denuclearization, following the collapse of their second summit in Hanoi in February 2019.
Pyongyang has been conducting a series of tests at its Sohae rocket facility, including static tests this month, despite being banned from doing so under UN sanctions.
US President Donald Trump has downplayed the situation, saying 'We'll find out what the surprise is and we'll deal with it very successfully.'
