North Korea will hold a major meeting before its planned rocket launch later this month, potentially consolidating¹ the power transfer to Kim Jong-un.

本月晚些时候朝鲜将按照计划发射一枚火箭，此前会召开一个重要会议，这将巩固金正恩的领导地位。

The last North Korean rocket launch in April 2009 led the UN to impose sanctions
The meeting, convened² by the Worker's Party, will take place in Pyongyang on 11 April, state media reported.

Mr Kim could be promoted into key positions held by his late father, Kim Jong-il, reports say.

North Korea plans to fire a rocket which it says will put a satellite into orbit between 12 to 16 April.

Pyongyang says the launch, for "peaceful purposes", is to mark the centennial（百年纪念） of the birth of founding leader Kim Il-sung.

But the move has sparked international criticism. The United States and North Korea's neighbours insist it will be a disguised long-range missile test, contravening³（抵触，违反） UN resolutions.

The resolutions were imposed after a similar launch in April 2009.

On Monday, North Korean state media reported that the young Mr Kim, who took over the leadership of the country following his father's death in December 2011, had been elected as a delegate to the upcoming conference.

This reflected ''the unanimous（全体一致的） will and desire of all the party members, service personnel and people", the official Korean Central News Agency said.

The country is also scheduled to hold a parliamentary session on 13 April, believed to be the first since the death of the elder Mr Kim last year.