Kim briefs party on plans

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un briefed top ruling party officials on his vision for the future direction of dialogue with the United States and his upcoming summit with South Korea’s President, the North’s official media reported yesterday.

Kim gave his “profound analysis and appraisal” of the prospects for North Korea-US dialogue at a meeting on Monday of the Politburo of the ruling party’s Central Committee, the Korean Central News Agency said.

The KCNA report did not specifically mention plans for Kim to hold a summit with President Donald Trump, but it suggests Pyongyang is actively preparing for the meeting and is ready to let North Koreans know big events may be ahead. Trump said yesterday that he planned to meet Kim next month or in early June. Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae In are to meet on April 27.

The North’s official media has thus far made virtually no mention of the series of stunning diplomatic overtures Kim has made toward Seoul and Washington since January, though it did trumpet Kim’s visit to Beijing last month.