Silent on US and South Korea, Kim Jong-un focuses on economy at WPK congress

North Korean chief Kim Jong-un, who serves as head normal secretary of the ruling Employees’ Occasion of Korea, speaks at a gathering of the celebration’s congress on Feb. 23, 2026. (KCNA/Yonhap)

In a speech at a key celebration gathering, North Korean chief Kim Jong-un avowed that the nation’s endeavors in its upcoming five-year financial plan would “fully depend on our inside drive [and] the nice would possibly of our individuals,” the Employees’ Occasion of Korea-run Rodong Sinmun reported Tuesday. 

“No problem or change in state of affairs can delay or test our advance,” the North Korean chief declared in his speech. 

In concluding remarks for the fifth assembly of the ninth Congress of the Employees’ Occasion of Korea on Monday, Kim Jong-un made a “solemn oath of invariable allegiance to the holiest mission and the heaviest duty [. . .] to reliably defend the rights to growth and safety of the Democratic Individuals’s Republic of Korea, and to work wholeheartedly to carry wellbeing to the individuals as quickly as attainable by making devoted efforts for them each minute and each second.”

Concerning his reappointment because the celebration’s normal secretary, Kim referred to as it an expression of the celebration’s “full belief in and excessive expectation” of himself, in addition to a request for “larger efforts and extra strenuous endeavor” as they embark on the “gigantic reason for translating the individuals’s beliefs into actuality.”

When it comes to the economic system, the North Korean chief stated that the subsequent 5 years can be a “stage for stabilizing and consolidating our economic system and bringing about its gradual qualitative growth.”

This goes a step past the technique of the five-year plan for nationwide financial growth introduced over the last WPK congress in January 2021, which centered on “readjustment and reinforcement” geared toward placing the economic system “on a standard observe to run easily.” The emphasis on “consolidation” and “gradual qualitative growth” of the economic system signifies confidence that the groundwork has been adequately laid for future developments. 

Kim additional vowed to “invariably be trustworthy to the three beliefs” of the individuals as “god,” single-hearted unity, and self-reliance in the course of the ninth time period of the WPK Central Committee, calling the belief of the ideology-first precept and the people-first precept, the “law-governed requirement of the instances.”

“The principle schedules left for the present congress are to work out a long-term plan of every subject for the approaching 5 years and to decide on its outcome,” Kim famous. “The important success of a celebration congress depends upon how we outline our wrestle orientation of the approaching 5 years.”

The Rodong Sinmun reported that the newly appointed Central Committee of the WPK held concrete discussions and deliberations regarding plans and goals for the close to future, and has begun implementing initiatives to mirror such selections. 

The “research and consultative conferences” cited are divided in keeping with particular areas, together with trade, agriculture, mild industries, tradition, development, the navy, munitions, authorized affairs, overseas affairs, and celebration administration, and are carried out inside their respective fields.  

Kim’s concluding speech ran round 2,300 phrases and centered nearly solely on home points reminiscent of financial plans. No point out of insurance policies pertaining to South Korea or the US, or nuclear weapons, was made.  

The entire absence of any reference to coverage towards South Korea or the US within the Rodong Sinmun’s studies on the congress because it started on Feb. 19 appears intentional and is especially noteworthy.

Through the first plenary session of the WPK’s ninth Central Committee on Feb. 23, Kim introduced plans to reform the committee’s Presidium the Political Bureau, the Politburo itself, and the WPK Secretariat, in keeping with the Rodong Sinmun. 

Kim Yo-jong, the youthful sister of Kim Jong-un, was promoted to division director of the Central Committee of the ruling Employees’ Occasion of Korea.

Kim Yo-jong, Kim Jong-un’s youthful sister who has successfully served as North Korea’s spokesperson, was given a promotion to division director of the WPK Central Committee. She additionally rose to the highest spot on the record of alternate members for the WPK Politburo. Each indicators level to a consolidation of energy and elevated sway. 

Two key figures in North Korean overseas affairs — Kim Track-nam, the top of the WPK’s worldwide affairs division, and Choe Son-hui, the overseas minister — have been appointed to the Politburo. Kim Track-nam has been named a secretary of the celebration’s Central Committee, signifying a political promotion. 

The Presidium of the Politburo of the WPK Central Committee represents the very best stage of authority throughout the celebration. It at the moment includes 5 members, together with Kim Jong-un. The opposite 4 members are Pak Thae-song, Jo Yong-won, Kim Jae-ryong and Ri Il-hwan. 

What’s notable is that no one throughout the navy management was included within the newest rendition of the Presidium. Jo Yong-won, who has served as a celebration secretary and director of the celebration’s Group and Steering Division, is now not on the WPK Secretariat, neither is he on the register of Central Committee division administrators. That is additionally notable. 

The Presidium’s full exclusion of anybody with an official navy management place, a place throughout the WPK Secretariat, or a division director place is unprecedented.  

Choe Ryong-hae, the chair of the Standing Committee of the Supreme Individuals’s Meeting, additionally did not make the reduce for the WPK Central Committee, which signifies an efficient ousting. Going ahead, it will likely be essential to carefully watch Jo Yong-won and the function he performs throughout the celebration.

Pak Thae-song, who has served as North Korea’s premier, was additionally omitted of appointments for celebration Secretariat and division director positions. Kim Jae-ryong and Ri Il-hwan, who’ve served as celebration secretaries, have been made secretaries and division administrators as soon as once more.

By Lee Je-hun, senior workers author

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