N Korea meet on new leader likely today

North Koreas ruling party could meet to choose a new leadership within the next day,media reports said on Tuesday,dismissing reports of a delay because of dear leader Kim Jong-ils health.

Japans Yomiuri newspaper cited a source close to the issue as saying the Workers Party conference,which brings together the secretive states ruling elite for the first time in 30 years,could have been held up by flooding. It said the meeting could start as early as Wednesday. Radio Free Asia,quoting sources in North Korea,said it could start as early as Tuesday.

The meeting is being watched closely by regional powers for signs of the start of the succession process involving Kims youngest son,Kim Jong-un. Analysts had widely forecast the meeting,which had been scheduled to start between September 1-15,to have been wrapped up by now. South Korean media reported it was delayed by the 68-year-old leaders deteriorating health.

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Outlook Weekly,a current affairs magazine issued by Chinas Xinhua news agency,carried an unusually candid commentary on the meeting by Zhu Kechuan,a researcher for the Xinhua global issues research centre. Zhu noted that foreign media had speculated that the congress may unveil a new leadership,that Kim,is in poor health and may promote a suitable successor,and that the economy has for a long time been in a slump. These analyses are basically reasonable, Zhu said.

Kim is suspected of suffering a stroke in 2008. The Yomiuri report said Kims health was not at issue,but severe flooding was. There may be impact from the flood damage due to heavy rain in August, the source told Yomiuri. Party delegates from across the country had gathered in Pyongyang as of Monday and had completed registration,the source said. Preparation to hold the delegations conference on the 15th is moving forward.