The start of a gathering of North Korea's grassroots "party cells" appears to be imminent. 

Cells refer to the ruling party's most elementary unit consisting of five to 30 members; the secretary is referred to as the cell leader.

North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Monday that participants of the Sixth Conference of the Secretaries of Party Cells paid tribute at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the mausoleum of the late North Korean leaders, in Pyongyang.

While the report did not mention a date, given the participants arrived in Pyongyang on Saturday, they likely visited the palace over the weekend apparently before the start of the planned conference.

KCNA said the participants solidified their strong will to bring about a revolutionary transition in party cell affairs to meet the needs of a new period marked by change and socialist construction.

The ruling Workers Party's secretariat previously said the conference of cell secretaries will be held in early April.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended both of the previous cell leaders' meetings in 2013 and 2017.

[Photo : YONHAP News]