North Korea announced Friday it would convene a congress of its ruling Workers’ Party for the first time in 35 years

North Korea announced Friday it would convene a congress of its ruling Workers' Party for the first time in 35 years, reviving a forum last gathered under the rule of current leader Kim Jong-Un's grandfather, Kim Il-Sung.

The congress -- only the seventh since the official founding of the party in 1945 -- will be held in May next year, the party central committee's politburo said in a statement carried by the North's official KCNA news agency.

The statement gave no specific indication of what the congress would discuss.
Observers said it would provide an opportunity to signal any significant policy shifts or reshuffle the party leadership.

The last congress was held way back in October 1980 under North Korea's founding leader -- and party supremo -- Kim Il-Sung.

Kim Il-Sung's son and successor Kim Jong-Il never called a congress and next year's gathering will also be the first for third generation Kim dynasty leader Kim Jong-Un.

The decision is clearly partly attributable to the fact that this year is the 70th anniversary of the ruling party's founding -- a milestone marked with a massive military parade and multiple celebrations in Pyongyang earlier this month.