27 Dec

North Korea's state-run media have sharply increased their coverage of leader Kim Jong Un's military-related inspections this year.

The Tokyo-based Radiopress news agency says North Korea's media have carried 109 stories on Kim's activities through Thursday of this week.

It says 30 of the stories were about Kim's military inspections, up 22 from 2018.

These made up 27 percent of all stories, compared with 6 percent the year before.

Kim made the least number of military inspections in 2018 since he became supreme leader in 2012.

This is because he initiated a dialogue with the United States, including the first-ever US-North Korea summit.

But analysts believe media coverage of Kim's military inspections increased this year because of his frustration with moves by Washington such as maintaining sanctions and continuing joint military drills with Seoul.

Kim also resumed launches of ballistic missiles.

Pyongyang announced earlier this month that the ruling Workers' Party would hold a plenary meeting of its decision-making Central Committee late this month.

Kim may use the gathering to demonstrate his hardline stance toward the US.

NHK