North Korea's 14th Supreme People's Assembly the regime's rubberstamp parliament gathers in Pyeongyang today for the second time this year.<br />As it's quite rare to see the North hold the parliamentary session twice in one year, there's a swell of interest among experts over what the North's leadership will discuss... and perhaps more importantly: announce.<br />Our unification ministry correspondent Oh Jung-hee has more.<br />North Korea's parliament, the Supreme People's Assembly, is gathering for the second time this year on Thursday.<br />The Assembly usually gathers once a year in April, and it's rare for the meeting to be held two times a year.<br />During the past ten years, the North convened its parliament twice within 12 months in 2010, 2012 and 2014.<br />Seoul's unification ministry says... that the North would evaluate projects it's been working on and set up plans.<br />"In previous Supreme People's Assembly meetings, the North revised lower statutes of its constitution and made personnel reshuffles. It also assessed progress on its five-year economic development plan and discussed future policy directions."<br />The timing of this "rare second annual meeting" draws attention.<br />Although North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to resume denuclearization talks in July... and Kim later reconfirmed that through a letter to Trump earlier this month, there are still no signs of working-level negotiations between the two sides.<br />In the meantime, Pyeongyang fired over a dozen of projectiles into the East Sea and lashed out at Seoul and Washington for their military drills.<br />Eyes fall on whether Kim Jong-un will make a speech at the parliament to clarify his stance, just like he did at the session in April.<br />"At the last Supreme People's Assembly, the North sent out a message about its relations with the U.S. Considering that, we are keeping a close eye on the upcoming meeting."<br />In April's session, the North re-elected Kim Jong-un as the Chairman of the State Affairs Commission and officialized him as the ceremonial leader of the state as well.<br />The North also modified its constitution and made reshuffles in its power structure.<br />At Thursday's meeting, watchers say there could be some additional reshuffles in Kim's cabinet... and new legislations to follow through the five-year economic development plan due next year.<br />Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News.<br />
