North Korea has convened a plenary meeting of the ruling Workers' Party, attended by regime leader Kim Jong-un. It is the first such gathering after Pyongyang's recent signing of a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty with Moscow.

The North's state-run Korean Central News Agency(KCNA) said on Saturday that the tenth enlarged plenary session of the party's Eighth Central Committee opened on Friday.

While checking up on the progress of state policy during the first half of the year, the KCNA said attendees will also discuss and decide a number of key issues that can be faced in maintaining the rise in comprehensive development of "Korean-style socialism."

Reporting that five agenda items were submitted, without disclosing details, the KCNA said discussions on the items are currently under way.

North Korea observers are showing keen interest in the meeting, amid speculation that the participants may discuss measures to expand cooperation with Russia  following up on the signing of the treaty, widely regarded as a form of military alliance.