North Korea's 14th Supreme People's Assembly the regime's rubberstamp parliament gathers in Pyeongyang today for the second time this year.
As it's quite rare to see the North hold the parliamentary session twice in one year, there's a swell of interest among experts over what the North's leadership will discuss... and perhaps more importantly: announce.
Our unification ministry correspondent Oh Jung-hee has more.
North Korea's parliament, the Supreme People's Assembly, is gathering for the second time this year on Thursday.
The Assembly usually gathers once a year in April, and it's rare for the meeting to be held two times a year.
During the past ten years, the North convened its parliament twice within 12 months in 2010, 2012 and 2014.
Seoul's unification ministry says... that the North would evaluate projects it's been working on and set up plans.
"In previous Supreme People's Assembly meetings, the North revised lower statutes of its constitution and made personnel reshuffles. It also assessed progress on its five-year economic development plan and discussed future policy directions."
The timing of this "rare second annual meeting" draws attention.
Although North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to resume denuclearization talks in July... and Kim later reconfirmed that through a letter to Trump earlier this month, there are still no signs of working-level negotiations between the two sides.
In the meantime, Pyeongyang fired over a dozen of projectiles into the East Sea and lashed out at Seoul and Washington for their military drills.
Eyes fall on whether Kim Jong-un will make a speech at the parliament to clarify his stance, just like he did at the session in April.
"At the last Supreme People's Assembly, the North sent out a message about its relations with the U.S. Considering that, we are keeping a close eye on the upcoming meeting."
In April's session, the North re-elected Kim Jong-un as the Chairman of the State Affairs Commission and officialized him as the ceremonial leader of the state as well.
The North also modified its constitution and made reshuffles in its power structure.
At Thursday's meeting, watchers say there could be some additional reshuffles in Kim's cabinet... and new legislations to follow through the five-year economic development plan due next year.
Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News.
