North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held an unusual summit on Thursday to strengthen the governing Workers’ Party of Korea’s (WPK) “monolithic” leadership across society, according to official media.

According to state news agency KCNA, the conference was the first of its type, with the goal of “realizing the organizational and ideological unification of the Party ranks in every aspect” and strengthening the party’s leadership position.

The event centered on the “Party Life Guidance” (PLG) sections, which are strong groups that monitor and regulate leaders’ and members’ allegiance across the country.

According to a 2019 assessment by the United States-based Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK), party life guidance is “probably the most crucial job” of the WPK, the founding and ruling party of North Korea.

According to the HRNK study, PLG, as part of the powerful Organization and Guidance Department, watches trends and patterns in individual behavior, particularly those that may threaten the supreme leader’s interests.

Kim has staged an increasing number of events aimed at consolidating power in the country he has controlled since 2011. According to experts, anti-pandemic activities have aided his authoritarian regime in imposing greater controls on the economy, travel, media, and other aspects of society.

Human rights investigators claim that North Korea has carried out extrajudicial murders, enforced disappearances, torture, arbitrary arrests, sexual abuse, and forced labor. The administration has denied that its residents are being mistreated.