In the new year, North Korea is getting closer to Lu... Is "Tongmi Bongnam" in full swing?

[Anchor]
North Korea is expected to accelerate its close ties with Russia by considering sending additional troops in the new year.

After the inauguration of the second Trump administration, some observers say that the "South Korea-U.S. Bongnam" stance, which ignores the South and deals with the U.S., could be strengthened.

I'm reporter Lee Jong Won.

[Reporter]
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will watch the performance with his daughter Joo-ae at the presidential delegation.

It was a New Year's celebration in Pyongyang, marking the beginning of the New Year with gun salute fired in time for the countdown.

[Chosun Central TV: The hall is filled with passion and joy with the celebration of the new year at midnight on January 1, 2025].]

Chairman Kim's New Year's address was not announced separately, but it seems to have been replaced by a message from the Labor Party's plenary session that ended at the end of the year as in previous years.

During the five-day plenary session, North Korea focused on internal system solidarity by citing economic achievements, but minimized external messages.

Considering the uncertain external situation, such as the launch of the new U.S. administration, the dispatch of troops to Russia, and the impeachment of the South, it seems to intend to shape its position according to changes in the future while maintaining a "view mode."

[Yang Moo-jin / President of North Korean Graduate University:: Internally, the government will focus on the completion of a five-year economic and defense plan, and externally, uncertainty over the end of the Russo-Washington war....]

At the same time, he did not hide his will to close to North Korea and Russia.

Chairman of the states Affairs Commission Kim has repeatedly made it clear that he will continue military cooperation, disclosing the full text of letters exchanged with Russian President Putin for the New Year.

It reaffirmed its hard-line policy toward the United States, but maintained a cautious stance.

With the intention of maintaining ambiguity until Trump's second North Korea policy becomes visible, attention is focusing on what message he will present at the Supreme People's Assembly on the 22nd of this month, which will be held shortly after Trump's inauguration.

[Cho Han-beom / Senior Researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification: The hostile policy toward North Korea should be withdrawn, this is the basic position of North Korea. So, the same thing may come out once again at the Supreme People's Assembly, but it is unlikely that a new position will emerge in particular.]

To the South, it is expected to maintain the "two hostile countries theory" and continue inter-Korean disconnection measures, and it is predicted that the greater the possibility of dialogue between the U.S. and North Korea, the more it will not hide its intention to pass the South.

I'm YTN's Lee Jong Won.

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video: Ma Young-hoo
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