{"id":12846,"date":"2026-02-20T02:38:49","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T02:38:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/?p=12846"},"modified":"2026-02-20T02:38:49","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T02:38:49","slug":"north-koreas-kim-jong-un-launches-key-party-congress-held-every-5-years-kim-jong-un-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/?p=12846","title":{"rendered":"North Korea\u2019s Kim Jong Un launches key party congress held every 5 years | Kim Jong Un News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p class=\"article__subhead\"><em>Kim focuses on improving economic activity in opening speech at Ninth Congress of the Workers\u2019 Party of Korea.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div><button class=\"article-listen-container\" aria-labelledby=\"listen-text listen-duration\" data-testid=\"listen-to-article-button\"><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"article-listen-container__text\" data-testid=\"listen-to-article-text\">Listen to this article<\/span><span aria-hidden=\"true\">\u00a0|\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"article-listen-container__duration\">4 mins<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/button><button tabindex=\"0\" class=\"tooltip-accessible_trigger\"><svg class=\"icon icon--info icon--main-grey-dark icon--16 listen-to-article-tooltip__icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\"><title>info<\/title><path class=\"icon-main-color\" d=\"M12 0a12 12 0 1 0 0 24 12 12 0 0 0 0-24Zm-.226 3.225a2.039 2.039 0 0 1 2.155 1.924v.193a1.998 1.998 0 0 1-2.155 2.149 2.029 2.029 0 0 1-2.146-2.15 2.039 2.039 0 0 1 1.955-2.122h.193l-.002.006Zm3.227 15.525a.75.75 0 0 1-.752.75H9.75a.75.75 0 0 1-.75-.75v-1.5a.75.75 0 0 1 .752-.75h.748V12h-.75a.75.75 0 0 1-.75-.75v-1.5a.75.75 0 0 1 .752-.751h3a.75.75 0 0 1 .75.752v6.75h.75a.75.75 0 0 1 .75.749L15 18.75Z\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>\n<div aria-live=\"polite\" aria-atomic=\"true\">\n<p>North Korea has kicked off a rare party congress of the ruling Workers\u2019 Party, held once every five years, that will see the leadership in Pyongyang set major policy goals in defence, diplomacy and the economy, state media reports.<\/p>\n<p>The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Friday that the Ninth Congress of the Workers\u2019 Party of Korea (WPK) was under way, marking the start of the country\u2019s most consequential political event since 2021.<\/p>\n<section class=\"more-on\">\n<h2 class=\"more-on__heading\">Recommended Stories<!-- --> <\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">list of 4 items<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">end of list<\/span><\/section>\n<p>\u201cThe Ninth Congress of the WPK opened with splendour in Pyongyang, the capital city of the revolution,\u201d KCNA said, reporting that the high-level meeting started on Thursday and observers say it is expected to run for several days.<\/p>\n<p>South Korea\u2019s official Yonhap News Agency said the gathering will be closely followed for any signs regarding North Korea\u2019s development of nuclear weapons or overtures towards the administrations in Seoul and the United States, which the North considers its chief foes.<\/p>\n<p>Yonhap reports that North Korea\u2019s leader, Kim Jong Un, made no mention of relations with either South Korea or the US in his opening speech to the congress on Thursday and, instead, focused on boosting the country\u2019s economy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAhead of our party are heavy and urgent tasks of advancing economic development and improving people\u2019s livelihoods, and transforming all aspects of social life in the country as quickly as possible,\u201d Kim said, according to KCNA.<\/p>\n<p>While the true state of North Korea\u2019s often struggling economy is hard to gauge, The Associated Press news agency reports that outside experts suggest the country has seen a gradual recovery in economic activity, helped by a post-COVID boost in trade with China and the export of weapons to help Russia in its war against Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p>Several thousand North Korean troops have fought on Moscow\u2019s side against Ukraine, and Pyongyang is believed to have exported large amounts of ammunition to help the Russian invasion of its neighbour.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4325832\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4325832\" style=\"width:770px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-arc-image-770 wp-image-4325832\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/2026-02-19T223102Z_379188679_RC29PJAGP0LW_RTRMADP_3_NORTHKOREA-POLITICS-CONGRESS-1771551261.jpg?w=770&amp;resize=770%2C514&amp;quality=80\" alt=\"People attend the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) in Pyongyang, North Korea, February 19, 2026, in this picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency. KCNA via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THIS IMAGE. NO THIRD PARTY SALES. SOUTH KOREA OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN SOUTH KOREA.\" fetchpriority=\"low\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4325832\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Delegates attend the Ninth Congress of the Workers\u2019 Party of Korea in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Thursday [KCNA via Reuters]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>North Korea\u2019s \u2018biggest enemy\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>South Korea\u2019s spy agency said last week it was monitoring the congress for any sign that Kim will officially designate his teenage daughter, Kim Ju Ae, as his potential successor, formalising her position as heir apparent in a fourth-generation succession of the Kim family as North Korea\u2019s leaders.<\/p>\n<p>At the previous party congress five years ago, Kim declared that the US was his nation\u2019s \u201cbiggest enemy\u201d, the AFP news agency reports, and there is deep interest in whether the North Korean leader will soften his rhetoric \u2013 or double down \u2013 at this year\u2019s congress, particularly amid the US presidency of Donald Trump.<\/p>\n<p>Trump \u2013 who met Kim in 2019 when he briefly stepped foot into North Korea to shake Kim\u2019s hand and pose for photos \u2013 said during a tour of Asia late last year that he was \u201c100 percent\u201d open to meeting Kim again.<\/p>\n<p>So far, Kim has demurred on Trump\u2019s overtures to meet again.<\/p>\n<p>Observers of North Korean politics are reported to be scouring satellite imagery for any signs of the vast military parades that have accompanied previous congress meetings in Pyongyang.<\/p>\n<p>Such parades will be closely watched for signs of a shift in North Korea\u2019s weapons capabilities, as the country has used previous processions to show off its newest and most advanced weapons.<\/p>\n<p>Kim held a ceremony on Thursday to unveil the deployment of 50 new launch vehicles for nuclear-capable short-range missiles as the congress kicked off.<\/p>\n<p>According to Yonhap, the congress brings together some 5,000 party representatives from across the country, including 200 senior officials from the WPK\u2019s headquarters. More than 4,700 officials from regional and industrial sectors are also in attendance.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4323611\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4323611\" style=\"width:770px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-arc-image-770 wp-image-4323611\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/2026-02-19T004709Z_1418420989_RC2LOJA1ZYYE_RTRMADP_3_NORTHKOREA-POLITICS-1771474788.jpg?w=770&amp;resize=770%2C510&amp;quality=80\" alt=\"People view 600mm-calibre multiple rocket launchers during a presentation ceremony of the launchers to the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) by the workers of the munitions industry sector in Pyongyang, North Korea, February 18, 2026,\" fetchpriority=\"low\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4323611\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">People view 600mm-calibre multiple rocket launchers during a presentation ceremony of the launchers to the Ninth Congress of the Workers\u2019 Party of Korea by the workers of the munitions industry sector in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Wednesday [KCNA via Reuters]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kim focuses on improving economic activity in opening speech at Ninth Congress of the Workers\u2019 Party of Korea. Listen to this article\u00a0|\u00a04 mins info North Korea has kicked off a rare party congress of the ruling Workers\u2019 Party, held once every five years, that will see the leadership in Pyongyang set major policy goals in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12847,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12846","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-asia-pacific"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12846","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12846"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12846\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12847"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12846"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12846"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12846"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}