North Korea Kim calls for strict discipline ahead of key party anniversary

Seoul, Oct 9 (IANS) North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has vowed to "eliminate" movements that undermine the authority of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and called for strict discipline, the North's state media reported on Thursday.

Kim made the remark during a visit to the Party Founding Museum in Pyongyang the previous day, ahead of the 80th founding anniversary of the ruling party, Friday, reports Yonhap, quoting the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

"We should continue to firmly consolidate strict order and sound discipline climate within the Party, while giving precedence to the process of finding out and eliminating in time all sorts of elements and acts that undermine the Party's leadership prestige," Kim was quoted as saying in an English-language speech transcript carried by the KCNA.

Kim called for a change in the attitude of party officials and warned them to refrain from "evil practices such as ignorance, incompetence, irresponsibility, self-protection, formalism and expediency, as well as arbitrariness, high-handedness and abuse of power," Yonhap News Agency reported.

Kim was accompanied by members of the Praesidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the WPK, officials of the WPK Central Committee and leading officials of the Party committees of ministries and national institutions, according to the KCNA.

The North is set to celebrate the upcoming party anniversary with a large-scale military parade attended by senior officials from China and Russia. North Korea usually stages military parades on party anniversaries that end in zero or five.

Vietnam's top leader, To Lam, will visit North Korea to mark the 80th founding anniversary of the North's ruling Workers' Party of Korea, state media reported on Monday.

The Vietnamese leader will pay a state visit to the North at the invitation of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on the occasion of the party anniversary.

Vietnam's foreign ministry also announced that Lam will visit North Korea for three days starting Thursday.

It would mark the first trip to North Korea by a Vietnamese leader in 18 years.

Vietnam and North Korea have maintained close diplomatic relations since establishing ties in 1950.

--IANS

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