Pyongyang: North Korea's ruling party has announced it will hold a political conference just before a controversial satellite launch.
The state-run Korean Central News Agency reported early Monday that the Workers' Party conference will be held o April 11 in Pyongyang.
North Korea's new leader, Kim Jong Un, is expected to gain new titles at the conference.
The political gathering takes place just before the start of a five-day window when North Korea says it will launch a satellite into space on the back of a long-range rocket. Pyongyang says it's part of celebrations marking late President Kim Il Sung's 100th birthday.
The United States and other nations are pressuring Pyongyang to cancel the launch, saying it will be viewed as a cover for a long-range missile test.
Bureau Report
First Published: Monday, April 02, 2012, 10:46