North Korean state media reported Sunday that the nation has opened a major political conference to address “harsh trials and difficulties” ahead of a year-end deadline the country set for the Untied States to offer concessions in ongoing nuclear talks, according to The Associated Press.

Chairman Kim Jong UnKim Jong UnGermans think Trump is more dangerous to world peace than Kim Jong Un and Putin: survey North Korea keeps world on edge with promised 'gift' to US Christmas Day passes with no sign of North Korea 'gift' to US MORE led a meeting of the Workers’ Party’s Central Committee in Pyongyang Saturday, according to the AP, citing the Korean Central News Agency.

The meeting, KCNA said, will focus on finding ways to “overcome the manifold and harsh trials and difficulties and further accelerate the development of the revolution with transparent anti-imperialist independent stand and firm will.”

At its April 2018 meeting, the party agreed to suspend nuclear intercontinental ballistic missile testing. Kim imposed the deadline after he and President TrumpDonald John TrumpLA Times editorial board torches Trump on climate Spotify to pause the selling of political advertising Fed study: Trump tariffs backfired, caused job losses and higher prices MORE were unable to reach an agreement in February during a Vietnam summit, giving Washington until the end of the year to offer new concessions.

Pyongyang has demanded relief from U.S. sanctions as a condition of full denuclearization, with the U.S. refusing to lift those sanctions until North Korea takes further steps to denuclearize. In recent months, Pyongyang has suggested it will resume nuclear and long-range missile testing in the absence of further U.S. concessions.