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but didn’t specify the time or location. (KCNA/Yonhap News)

By Kang Tae-ho, senior staff writer

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reached an “important conclusion” that will “serve as a guiding policy for protecting sovereignty” while presiding over an extended session of the country’s Central Military Commission (CMC), the Korean Central News Agency reported on Feb. 3.

In response, South Korean president Lee Myung-bak visited the so-called ‘underground bunker’, the crisis management situation room at the Blue House, on that day to order thorough preparations for a possible nuclear test.

The KCNA report did not give the content of the ”important conclusion“ by Kim, who is also CMC director, or the location and time of the meeting. However, it did mention that it was an extended meeting attended not only by CMC members but also ”commanding members of the joint forces, including operational command members for the Korean People’s Army Supreme Command, the Navy, the KPA Air and Anti-Air Forces, and the Strategic Rocket Force.“ This would suggest that specific military measures including a nuclear test may have been discussed.

In North Korea, the CMC has final say on matters related to the military and national defense.

The National Defense Commission previously warned of a “high-level nuclear test” targeting the United States in a Jan. 24 statement declaring a “full-scale battle to defend [North Korea’s] sovereignty.” Ten days later, the announcement of the CMC meeting suggests that the decision-making process by the WPK, military, and administration may be complete.

On Jan. 27, KCNA reported that Kim Jong-un convened a meeting of “national security and external relations workers” to declare that he had expressed the “firm resolution to take substantial and high-profile state-level measures.” Such announcements, including the latest one about the CMC meeting, are highly unusual for Pyongyang. Analysts said this approach to decision-making shows that Kim Jong-un, a ruler with less charisma or leadership prowess than his father Kim Jong-il, has opted to root his governance in established organizations, including the WPK and official state organizations.

The KCNA also reported that discussions were held at the meeting on “organizational issues and issues related to honoring our party’s Songun [military first] revolution leadership with historic changes in strengthening our military power.” This is being read as a sign that members were appointed to the CMC, which has historically had around 18 members.

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