SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared his nation had made “irreversible” progress in strengthening its state status, citing economic gains and a firmer regional footing, as he opened the country’s most important political event, the 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea. The congress, which began Thursday in Pyongyang, is expected to outline Kim’s domestic and foreign policy agenda for the next five years and further solidify his authoritarian rule.
The gathering comes as Kim pursues a more assertive regional presence, bolstered by an expanding nuclear arsenal and deepening ties with Russia and China. The congress will likely serve as a platform for Kim to unveil key political and military objectives and consolidate his power, with some analysts suggesting he may also position his daughter, believed to be Kim Ju Ae, as a potential successor.
North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported the commencement of the congress on Friday, but did not immediately detail any specific comments from Kim regarding ongoing tensions with the United States and South Korea, or his nuclear weapons program. However, Kim claimed significant progress had been made since the last party congress in 2021.
Entering his 15th year in power, Kim appears to be in a stronger position than he was five years ago, when North Korea’s economy was struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the breakdown of diplomatic efforts with then-U.S. President Donald Trump. At the 8th Party Congress in 2021, Kim acknowledged economic failures and introduced a five-year development plan focused on self-reliance. He simultaneously reaffirmed his commitment to nuclear weapons development and outlined a list of advanced weapons systems.
Kim has strategically leveraged geopolitical instability, particularly Russia’s war in Ukraine, to accelerate weapons development and strengthen relations with Moscow. Reports indicate North Korea has supplied Russia with thousands of troops and substantial munitions shipments, potentially in exchange for aid and military technology, according to multiple sources.
He has also cultivated closer ties with China, attending a World War II ceremony in Beijing last September and holding a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping – his first in six years – signaling a united front against Washington. Despite these developments, North Korea’s economy remains largely impoverished after decades of policy failures and international sanctions.
Lee Jong-kyu, an analyst at South Korea’s Korea Development Institute, estimates that North Korea’s economy grew by approximately 10% over the past five years, benefiting from a rebound in trade with China following the pandemic and increased arms exports to Russia. Koh Yu-hwan, former president of Seoul’s Institute for National Unification, suggested the last five years may represent the most productive period for North Korean leadership since the 1950s and 1960s.
Reflecting this confidence, analysts anticipate the current congress will likely focus on continuing the emphasis on internal unity and self-reliance through another five-year economic plan, rather than introducing major policy shifts. Kim has already overseen the development or testing of many of the weapons systems he outlined in 2021, including solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles and tactical nuclear systems. In 2023, North Korea launched its first military satellite and has since claimed progress in building a nuclear-propelled submarine.
Kim is now shifting focus towards bolstering conventional military capabilities, introducing new warships, anti-air weapons and attack drones, while also outlining plans to integrate nuclear and conventional forces. He is expected to emphasize the parallel development of both systems under a separate five-year military development plan.
North Korea has adopted a nuclear doctrine authorizing preemptive strikes if its leadership is perceived to be under threat. By integrating conventional and nuclear forces, Kim aims to lower the threshold for nuclear use, increasing the threat to South Korea, analysts say.
Relations between North and South Korea have deteriorated significantly since 2019, when Kim’s diplomacy with the U.S. Stalled. In 2024, Kim declared Seoul a permanent enemy and abandoned the long-held goal of peaceful unification. He is likely to reinforce this hard-line stance at the congress, potentially by amending party rules to formally define inter-Korean relations as those between “two hostile states.”
While South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has expressed a desire for engagement, a change in Kim’s position on Seoul appears unlikely. Kim no longer views Seoul as a useful intermediary with Washington, but rather as an obstacle to his ambitions for a more assertive role in global affairs. He has also intensified efforts to suppress the influence of South Korean culture within North Korea to reinforce his family’s dynastic rule.
Kim may adopt a more measured approach towards Washington to preserve the possibility of future dialogue, with the long-term goal of securing sanctions relief and tacit recognition as a nuclear state. However, analysts note that as Russia’s war in Ukraine potentially winds down, North Korea may develop into less valuable to Moscow, prompting Kim to maintain options with the United States.