Kim Jong-un Inaugurates Key Congress That Will Redefine North Korea's Agenda

North Korean leader presided over the opening of the ninth Workers’ Party meeting, a congress held every five years that sets the strategic framework for the country’s policies and defense capabilities. According to the official KCNA statement, Kim Jong-un’s speech emphasized significant changes in economic and defense sectors since the last meeting in 2021, marking a notable contrast with the context five years ago.

Economic Recovery and Expansion of Defensive Capabilities

The North Korean regime experienced a 4.5% contraction of GDP in 2020, according to estimates from the South Korean Central Bank. However, subsequent data shows a recovery trend: the bank estimated a 3.1% growth in 2023 and 3.7% in 2024. In this context, Kim Jong-un highlighted that key sectors managed to escape decades of obsolescence and stagnation, allowing the country to move toward a phase of renewed optimism after overcoming its worst difficulties.

During his speech, the North Korean leader declared that the Party faces urgent historical tasks: promoting economic construction, raising the standard of living for the population, and rapidly transforming all areas of state life. This progress narrative aligned with announcements about strengthening military capabilities, continuing the tradition of emphasizing both defense and development simultaneously.

Strategic Alliances and International Position

The governments of China and Russia, Pyongyang’s historic allies, sent congratulatory messages to mark the start of the congress. This display of support demonstrates regional ties strengthening, especially relevant considering Kim Jong-un avoided explicitly mentioning the United States or South Korea in his speech, leaving open the question of North Korea’s foreign policy direction.

Negotiations between Pyongyang and Washington have been at a standstill since 2019, when the summit between Kim Jong-un and then-President Donald Trump failed. Differences over sanctions imposed on North Korea’s nuclear program divided the positions of both governments. Since Trump’s second term began, the North Korean government has dismissed U.S. dialogue offers, conditioning any negotiations on Washington’s prior renunciation of its denuclearization demands.

North Korea also virtually halted all talks and cooperation with South Korea after relations deteriorated. Kim Jong-un abandoned the traditional goal of peaceful reunification and proclaimed an antagonistic system of “two states” on the peninsula, a stance that could be institutionalized constitutionally during the ongoing assembly, marking a definitive shift in the regime’s strategic vision.

Internal Repercussions and Succession Rumors

In his speech, Kim Jong-un identified internal obstacles affecting institutional performance: the “deep-rooted crisis of trust” and the “insufficiency of leadership capabilities” that hinder party work. These criticisms could foreshadow retaliations against officials who have failed to meet regime expectations.

Approximately 5,000 delegates participated in the congress opening. In the previous edition in 2021, the assembly lasted eight days and concluded with resolutions to expand nuclear capabilities, including projects for nuclear-powered submarines, solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles, and surveillance satellites. Notably, the Hwasong-20 ICBM, the most powerful missile in North Korea’s arsenal designed to carry multiple nuclear warheads, remains operationally untested.

It is expected that the assembly will conclude with a military parade to showcase the country’s armament power. An international focus will be on the possible public appearance of Kim Ju-ae, the leader’s approximately 13-year-old daughter. South Korean intelligence agencies previously suggested she might have been “informally designated as a potential successor” to her father, which would represent a dynastic continuity with significant geopolitical implications.