North Korea capital gears up for congress; South fears nuclear test

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un gives field guidance during his visit to the newly built Mindulle Notebook Factory in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang on April 19, 2016

KOREA: North Korea has started welcoming delegates from around the country to its first ruling party congress in 36 years, state media reported on Tuesday, as rival South Korea expressed concern that Pyongyang could conduct a nuclear test before or during the event.

The isolated North has conducted a series of weapons tests, including three failed launches of an intermediate-range missile, in the run-up to the Workers' Party congress starting in Pyongyang on Friday.