"北, 제재 외 새로운 상응조치 요구할 수도... 김정은, 공식적으로 최고위직"
Kim Jong-un made some notable remarks at the parliamentary gathering last week.
The developments provided some clues on the North's stance on the current nuclear impasse.
Oh Jung-hee turned to some experts to read between the lines.
North Korea aims to survive on its own throughout this year but is hoping that its negotiations with the U.S. resume soon.
That's how experts assess North Korea... after Kim Jong-un's address at the North's Supreme People's Assembly last week.
Kim had said he's okay with a follow-up summit with the U.S. if they can reach a compromise.
But he stressed there's no need to obsess over it or be desperate to get the sanctions lifted.
Rather, Kim said, he'll wait patiently until the end of this year to see what the U.S. decides.
A South Korean security thinktank says... the North could ask for concessions other than sanctions relief to try and get the talks going again. "North Korea would be hoping to resume the negotiations or hold a summit with the U.S. before the year ends. But it knows that the U.S. won't lift the sanctions,... so it feels the need to come up with new corresponding measures it wants from the U.S. Those could be declaring an end to the Korean War, eliminating the military threat or guaranteeing the regime's security."
Plus, they pointed out that the North Korean leader has further cemented his grip on power, possibly revising the constitution as well.
"Kim Jong-un has been named the supreme representative of all the Korean people and the chairman of the State Affairs Commission, the top leader of our republic."
There are different ideas about the meaning of Kim's new title -- the "supreme representative of all the Korean people."
Some say Kim now doubles as nominal head of state, instead of the president of parliament's presidium.
But others say... Kim is representing the whole North Korean people rather than a certain district, especially since he's not included among the parliament's deputies.
"I believe that North Korea's ceremonial leader could now be Kim Jong-un, not the president of Supreme People's Assembly presidium. I think they have officially stated Kim's post as the very top one, and stipulated this in the constitution."
The security think tank also noted that the North's five-year economic plan that was to end next year could evaporate... as international sanctions are taking a toll.
Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News.
