The agenda of the North Korean regime leadership in February focused primarily on two key areas: military drills and political events. Pyongyang conducted its own military drills and other military-related events as part of its annual winter training cycle and in response to ROK-U.S. joint drills. In connection with several anniversaries and as a part of an ongoing evolution of the rule of Kim Jong Un and his inner circle, the regime convened meetings of important party organizations. Meanwhile, while the uppermost leadership tier has been relatively stable recently, a trend of new, previously unknown, officials making their