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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presides over the 7th WPK Congress in Pyongyang on May 6, 2016. (KCTV screenshot)

As of Jan. 4, Pyongyang hadn’t officially announced whether the congress would take place. But considering that participants received their credentials at the end of 2020, it will likely be held soon.

In single-party socialist states, the party congress is the most important political event, the event that officially approves the state’s overarching policy approach. At each of the seven party congresses that North Korea has held since 1945, it has announced major plans in the areas of economic development, foreign policy and unification.

Our hope is that the 8th WPK Congress will serve as an opportunity for rekindling the spark of dialogue between South and North Korea, as well as between North Korea and the US.

The 8th WPK Congress will be held as North Korea wrestles with three simultaneous crises: the economic crunch caused by international sanctions, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and damage caused by flooding and typhoons last year.

In his general project report to the 8th WPK Congress, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is expected to unveil a five-year plan for economic development and to give the Moon administration in South Korea and the incoming Biden administration in the US some clues about the approach he will take to their respective countries.

Particularly important is the relationship that Kim will form with Biden, who will be inaugurated as US president on Jan. 20. We hope that North Korea will refrain from provoking the Biden administration with harsh rhetoric and military actions and instead work to create room for dialogue.

The Biden administration needs to move aggressively to resume dialogue with North Korea by making generous overtures to Pyongyang. If Biden is too preoccupied with domestic issues, such as dealing with COVID-19, to pay much attention to dialogue with North Korea, it could increase the likelihood of Pyongyang engaging in military action and make it even harder to address challenges on the Korean Peninsula.

The South Korean government also needs to bring its diplomatic capabilities to bear so that North Korea and the US can move toward resuming dialogue.

In 2021, COVID-19 remains a factor in inter-Korean relations. By elevating its COVID-19 response to the highest level of priority, North Korea has slammed shut the doors to the outside world and emphasized self-sufficiency. Pyongyang has also shown little interest in inter-Korean cooperation.

But in our opinion, North Korea will have to cooperate with the South on public health matters, including the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, if it hopes to surmount its triple crisis.

During his speech at the military parade on the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the WPK on Oct. 10, 2020, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said he hopes that the country can quickly overcome its public health crisis and that South and North Korea can join hands again soon.

We hope these remarks can serve as a springboard for summits between the leaders of South Korea, North Korea, the US and Japan during the Tokyo Olympics in July. It could be part of an effort by the countries concerned to restart the Korean Peninsula peace process, which has been stalled since North Korea-US talks broke down in their summit in Hanoi in February 2019.

But first, South and North Korea need to show extraordinary determination in moving toward peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]