North Korea's continued adherence to the principle of national independence will be “fateful” in deciding its future in the face of pressure imposed by “hostile forces,” the country's ruling party daily the Rodong Sinmun stressed in a rare special article on Monday.

The article highlighting the importance of the “line of independence" -- to which the newspaper devoted the entirety of its front page -- echoed a policy speech delivered by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on April 12 at the opening session of the DPRK's 14th Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA).