북한, 최고인민회의서 외교라인 개편 완료... 경제 예산 6%↑•보건7.4%↑
North Korea held its rubber-stamp parliamentary session on Sunday.
The meeting did not send out any particular message regarding nuclear negotiations.
But the North finalized its line-up of key foreign affairs figures... and announced that it's increasing its budget for economic construction and public health.
Oh Jung-hee reports.
Two days later than originally scheduled, North Korea held its rubber-stamp parliamentary meeting on Sunday.
Pyeongyang's Korean Central News Agency reported Monday... that the regime's number-2 leader, and the Chairman of the parliament's presidium, Choe Ryong-hae, chaired Sunday's Supreme People's Assembly session.
Kim Jong-un was not present.
There was no explanation for the delay, but Seoul's Unification Ministry suggested that the North could have postponed the meeting due to unspecified "political scheduling."
At the meeting, the North elected five new members for its State Affairs Commission, the top decision-making body headed directly by Kim Jong-un.
One of them is Ri Son-gwon, the North's newly elected Foreign Minister who had previously dealt with inter-Korean affairs.
Others include Ri Pyong-chol, who spearheaded the North's arms development, and Defense Minister Kim Jong-gwan.
The development shows who will be the key foreign affairs officials in the regime.
But despite the reshuffle, there was no particular message towards the United States about denuclearization talks, stalled since their summit in Hanoi last year.
Amid the global economic slowdown over the coronavirus pandemic, and still-firm international sanctions, North Korea is raising its budget for economic development by 6-percent.
Spending for the regime's metal, coal, rail and other industries will also see a hike of over 7-percent.
North Korea also increased its public health expenditure by 7-point-4 percent, which reflects its recent antivirus efforts.
Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News.
