Chapter 1 section 3 north Korean situation and Military Threats Since Kim Jong-un’s assumption of power, North Korea has focused on consolidating the new leader’s monolithic rule and stabilizing the regime. the era of Kim Jong-un was officially proclaimed at the Seventh Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea. to gain the upper hand in inter-Korean relations, North Korea has resorted to dual-track tactics of provocation and dialogue, while engaging in diplomacy in an attempt to avoid sanctions and reduce its isolation from the international community. the continuing provocations by the North, in the form of developing WMDs such as nuclear capabilities and ballistic missiles, expanding its conventional forces, carrying out armed provocations in contact areas, conducting cyber-attacks, and small-sized drone infiltrations, are serious threats to regional stability in Northeast asia as well as global peace. 1. north Korean situation | Internal situation | In April 2012, after the completion of power transfer, Kim Jong-un consolidated his rule through a vast reshuffle of the party, state, and military leadership. By purging, demoting, or rehabilitating the senior-level party, state, and military officials, he sought to stabilize his regime and strengthen his one-man rule. The Seventh Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea held in May 2016 marked the official beginning of the Kim Jong-un era and made clear its intention not to abandon the nuclear program. The ruling party was reorganized around Kim Jong-un, and members of his close entourage were appointed to key positions to cement his monolithic rule and strengthen the cohesion of the regime. Kim Jong-un received the title of “Chairman of the Workers’ party”, a new top leadership position, and the Secretariat was dissolved to be replaced by a new organization called the Executive Policy Bureau, with Park Bong-ju and Choi Ryong-hae added as new standing members of the bureau. 7th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea (May2016) During the Fourth Plenary Session of the 13th Supreme People’s Assembly, the State Affairs Commission was newly established to replace the National Defense Commission with Kim Jong-un appointed as its first Chairman, in another move to consolidate his one-man rule. Section 3 North Korean Situation and Military threats 21