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The Report on the 5th Plenary Meeting of the 7th Central Committee Part 2: The Economic Message
I argued yesterday that the report of the party plenum was an attempted exercise in leverage; to hold out the threat of ongoing missile and nuclear developments—and as far as the eye can see—to extract concessions. But the report also suggests that the regime’s frustration stems from the fact that sanctions are having material effect.
The Report on the 5th Plenary Meeting of the 7th Central Committee Part 1: The Belated Christmas Gift
In lieu of a New Year’s speech, Kim Jong -un convened an unusual plenum of the Central Committee in December, issuing a widely-distributed Report on the meeting in its stead. What was said—and what it augurs for 2020—are considered in two parts: the bargaining with the United States, which has gotten most attention, and the economic messages—taken up tomorrow–which are equally if not more important.