The government believes North Korea appears to be retaining its strategic line of placing focus on economic development as it convenes meetings of its Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party.

Unification Ministry Spokesperson Baik Tae-hyun unveiled the assessment on Wednesday after the North convened an enlarged meeting of the Political Bureau on Tuesday and is set to hold another such meeting. The gatherings come ahead of the North's first session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly on Thursday.

He said the evaluation was made after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered politburo officials during Tuesday’s meeting to follow through on the party's new strategic line, which was agreed on during a party meeting in April of last year. 

The spokesperson also confirmed that Kim Yong-chol, the North’s top nuclear negotiator and close aide to leader Kim Jong-un, who led arrangements for dialogue between Pyongyang and Washington, was at the meeting. 

Asked if Kim Yong-chol’s attendance suggests he will continue to lead efforts to organize future North Korea-U.S. talks, Baik said it remains to be seen, since the Political Bureau handles pending issues and is charged with the selection of key party members. 

Baik’s remarks come amid rumors the North's top nuclear negotiator was reprimanded after the second summit between leader Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump fell through in February.