North Korea’s Kim kicks off key party meeting ahead of New Year

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has kicked off a key meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party, state media reported on Tuesday, a venue he has often used to
announce major policy decisions marking the New Year.
The Sixth Enlarged Plenary Meeting of 8th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) was convened on Monday, the official KCNA news agency said.
The days-long gathering of party and government officials caps a year when the isolated country fired an unprecedented number of missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM).
A new round of tension flared on Monday as five North Korean drones crossed into South Korea, prompting Seoul to scramble fighter jets and attack helicopters, and open fire to try to shoot them down.
Kim also faces mounting economic challenges amid international sanctions over its weapons programmes, the fallout from an anti-coronavirus lockdown and natural disasters.