NK leader sets goals for bolstering self

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attends the second-day session of the sixth enlarged meeting of the eighth Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency the next day, Dec. 27. Yonhap

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has presided over the second-day session of a major party plenary and laid out goals for strengthening self-defense for next year, Pyongyang's state media reported Wednesday.

During the meeting held the previous day, Kim delivered a report analyzing the "new challengeable situation" created on the Korean Peninsula and the current international political situation, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

He presented principle and policy direction for the ruling Workers' Party and for defending the country's sovereignty and national interests, it added.

Kim also set forth "new key goals for bolstering up the self-reliant defense capability to be pushed ahead with in 2023 under the multilaterally changing situation," the KCNA said in an English-language report. It did not provide details on what the goals were.

North Korea opened the sixth enlarged plenary meeting of the party's eighth Central Committee on Monday amid views that its new domestic and foreign policy directions for the new year would be unveiled.

The KCNA said the meeting will continue for a third-day session. (Yonhap)