In order to muster stronger public loyalty in him and layout new economic and foreign policies, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is set to open a massive ruling Workers' Party congress next month despite currently grappling with the toughest challenges of his nine-year rule.
According to some experts, it is so far the toughest year for the Supreme leader as the coronavirus restrictions that have limited his public appearances also warned signals for a battered economy due to the border closures recently imposed due to the threat of the virus.
According to South China Morning Post, despite the grip on power by Kim, there is still a possible worst outcome for the Hermit state especially once the world fails to find a way out of the global health crisis, as it would prolong the self-imposed lockdown of North Korea which could possibly end up in an economic storm that could destabilize the markets of food and exchange, which could also cause panic among the public.
For the first time in five years, Congress will become the top decision-making body of the ruling party.
During the 2016 congress, the Supreme Leader put himself in front, announcing an ambitious economic development plan and reaffirmed his commitment to developing the nuclear weapons of the nation.
However, five years lantern based on some experts, the Supreme Leader no longer has many options aside from further squeezing his populace for more patience and labor.
Analyst at Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul, Hong Min, shared that if specifics will be checked, there is really nothing new that the North could present at the congress particularly in developing its economy.
The analyst also added North Korea will continue closing its borders as long as the coronavirus pandemic will continue and the international sanctions will persist so that there will be no room for any possible breakthrough.
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With a declaration of frontal breakthrough, the Supreme Leader entered this year against punishing United Nations sanctions after his high-stakes diplomacy with United States President Donald Trump fell apart in 2019 regarding the refusal of the US in offering extensive sanctions relief in return for limited denuclearization measures, CNA reported.
However, the drive of Kim suddenly faced an instant setback as later in January, the Hermit state was forced to seal off its international borders which includes the one with China, which is their biggest trading partner and aid benefactor, after the emergence of coronavirus there, Yahoo reported.
As a result of the closure of the border, the Hermit state's trade volume with China in the initial 10 months of this year has fallen by 75% which led to a shortage of raw materials that also plunged the operations of factories in the North down to its lowest level from the time that the Supreme Leader took power in late 2011.
According to some sources, it also resulted in a four-fold price increase of imported foods like sugar and seasonings.
For a number of months, North Korea also put a restriction on the usage of US Dollars at markets, only to make its local currency, the won, appreciate sharply, but the move triggered complaints from the public.
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