22 December

North Korea's state-run media says that the expanded meeting of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers' Party has been held, and was presided over by the country's leader Kim Jong Un.

The party's newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, carried a large picture of Kim instructing senior military officers on the front page of its Sunday edition. It said that the leader gave an analysis of the complicated domestic and international situation. Kim is also quoted as having said that important measures to bolster the overall armed forces, including the Korean People's Army, will be discussed and decided as required by the changing situation.

The newspaper also said that there was a discussion on the accelerated development of defensive power, but did not mention the details. Pyongyang had said that the Workers' Party will hold a plenary meeting of its decision-making Central Committee late this month.

The military may have made some decisions regarding relations with the United States and its missile program in the run-up to the plenary session.—NHK