The North Korean regime spared no expense this week as it gathered the country's elites for a high-profile meeting.
The Central Committee of the North Korean Workers' Party convened in the capital city of Pyongyang on Tuesday for a plenary meeting aimed at reviewing policies for the upcoming year. Despite a ban on luxury goods in the country, officials arrived in opulent Mercedes S-class vehicles, a clear violation of United Nations sanctions on the sale of luxury vehicles to North Korea, as reported by Yonhap News Agency.
Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un took center stage at the party meeting, delivering a speech that set the tone for the year ahead. He declared 2023 as a "year of great turn and great change" and emphasized its significance. According to Kim, the previous year in North Korea was marked by "eye-opening victories and events achieved in all fields for socialist construction and the strengthening of the national power."
Traditionally, the supreme leader of North Korea would deliver a New Year's Day speech to the people. However, since 2020, Kim Jong Un has chosen to deliver the yearly recap speech at Workers' Party meetings instead. As the plenary meeting draws to a close, it is anticipated that Kim will once again address the nation, providing insights into the regime's plans and priorities for the year ahead.
The extravagant gathering of North Korea's elites, complete with luxury vehicles and the presence of the supreme leader, underscores the regime's determination to project an image of strength and unity. As the world watches, the outcome of this meeting will undoubtedly have far-reaching implications for the secretive nation and its relations with the international community.
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