北 최고인민회의, 사회주의 헌법 개정•보충... "김정은 법적지위 더욱 공고히"<br /><br />Over in North Korea, the Supreme People's Assembly held a meeting.<br />Its quite rare for the rubberstamp parliament to gather two times a year and the meeting came amid months-long deadlock in nuclear negotiations.<br />So there was swell of interest on what's discussed at the session.<br />The results of the meeting were announced just two hours ago via Pyeongyang's state TV.<br />We have our unification ministry correspondent Oh Jung-hee joining us on the line.<br />Jung-hee, what do you have for us?<br />Daniel, today's key point is that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un further cemented his grip on power.<br />As widely speculated, the North did modify lower statutes of its constitution.<br />It explained that the chairman of the North's State Affairs Commission the top decision-making post that Kim Jong-un holds in the government is elected by the parliament, and at the same time, Kim does not double as a member of the parliament.<br />It also said that Kim Jong-un's post as the chairman of the State Affairs Comission now has the authority to proclaim the parliament's legislations and significant decisions by the State Affairs Commission.<br />Kim can now also designate envoys to other countries.<br />The parliament emphasized that all these moves will firmly guarantee Kim's leadership and strengthen his legal mandate over the regime.<br />Expectations were high in regards to a possible unveiling of the regime's five-year economic development plan at the parliamentary meeting, as the plan is due next year.<br />But there was no mention about that in the TV report aired on the state-run broadcaster.<br />And since the meeting took place amid no signs of working-level negotiations between Pyeongyang and Washington,... attention was on whether Kim Jong-un would make a speech to clarify his stance on talks with the U.S., just like he did in April's session. However, that didn't happen... as Kim was absent at the parliamentary session today.<br />All in all, I should say that the parliament rather focused on underscoring Kim Jong-un's authority in the regime, while making no mention on the economy nor the denuclearization talks.<br />Daniel.<br />
