Pyongyang General Hospital finally opened its doors to patients this week after years of construction plagued by delays, with North Korean media praising the facility as “world-class” despite its apparent lack of modern equipment like MRI machines.

The ruling party announced that it will convene its end-of-year plenum in mid-December — earlier than usual — to discuss “preparations” for the Ninth Party Congress, providing hints about the timing of one of the most important events in North Korean politics.

Meanwhile, the Rodong Sinmun presented the story of an ex-convict whose son was selected as a representative for