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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who serves as head general secretary of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, speaks at a meeting of the party’s congress on Feb. 23, 2026. (KCNA/Yonhap)

In a speech at a key party gathering, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un avowed that the country’s endeavors in its upcoming five-year economic plan would “completely rely on our internal force [and] the great might of our people,” the Workers’ Party of Korea-run Rodong Sinmun reported Tuesday. 

“No challenge or change in situation can delay or check our advance,” the North Korean leader declared in his speech. 

In concluding remarks for the fifth meeting of the 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea on Monday, Kim Jong-un made a “solemn oath of invariable allegiance to the holiest mission and the heaviest responsibility [. . .] to reliably defend the rights to development and security of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and to work wholeheartedly to bring wellbeing to the people as soon as possible by making devoted efforts for them every minute and every second.”

Regarding his reappointment as the party’s general secretary, Kim called it an expression of the party’s “complete trust in and high expectation” of himself, as well as a request for “greater efforts and more strenuous endeavor” as they embark on the “gigantic cause of translating the people’s ideals into reality.”

In terms of the economy, the North Korean leader said that the next five years would be a “stage for stabilizing and consolidating our economy and bringing about its gradual qualitative development.”

This goes a step beyond the strategy of the five-year plan for national economic development announced during the last WPK congress in January 2021, which focused on “readjustment and reinforcement” aimed at putting the economy “on a normal track to run smoothly.” The emphasis on “consolidation” and “gradual qualitative development” of the economy indicates confidence that the groundwork has been adequately laid for future advancements. 

Kim further vowed to “invariably be faithful to the three ideals” of the people as “god,” single-hearted unity, and self-reliance during the ninth term of the WPK Central Committee, calling the realization of the ideology-first principle and the people-first principle, the “law-governed requirement of the times.”

“The main schedules left for the current congress are to work out a long-term plan of each field for the coming five years and to make a decision on its result,” Kim noted. “The vital success of a party congress depends on how we define our struggle orientation of the coming five years.”

The Rodong Sinmun reported that the newly appointed Central Committee of the WPK held concrete discussions and deliberations concerning plans and objectives for the near future, and has begun implementing projects to reflect such decisions. 

The “study and consultative meetings” cited are divided according to specific areas, including industry, agriculture, light industries, culture, construction, the military, munitions, legal affairs, foreign affairs, and party administration, and are conducted within their respective fields.  

Kim’s concluding speech ran around 2,300 words and focused almost entirely on domestic issues such as economic plans. No mention of policies pertaining to South Korea or the US, or nuclear weapons, was made.  

The complete absence of any reference to policy toward South Korea or the US in the Rodong Sinmun’s reports on the congress since it began on Feb. 19 seems intentional and is particularly noteworthy.

During the first plenary session of the WPK’s 9th Central Committee on Feb. 23, Kim announced plans to reform the committee’s Presidium the Political Bureau, the Politburo itself, and the WPK Secretariat, according to the Rodong Sinmun. 

Kim Yo-jong, the younger sister of Kim Jong-un, was promoted to department director of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea.

Kim Yo-jong, Kim Jong-un’s younger sister who has effectively served as North Korea’s spokesperson, was given a promotion to department director of the WPK Central Committee. She also rose to the top spot on the list of alternate members for the WPK Politburo. Both signs point to a consolidation of power and increased sway. 

Two key figures in North Korean foreign affairs — Kim Song-nam, the head of the WPK’s international affairs department, and Choe Son-hui, the foreign minister — were appointed to the Politburo. Kim Song-nam has been named a secretary of the party’s Central Committee, signifying a political promotion. 

The Presidium of the Politburo of the WPK Central Committee represents the highest level of authority within the party. It currently comprises five members, including Kim Jong-un. The other four members are Pak Thae-song, Jo Yong-won, Kim Jae-ryong and Ri Il-hwan. 

What’s notable is that nobody within the military leadership was included in the latest rendition of the Presidium. Jo Yong-won, who has served as a party secretary and director of the party’s Organization and Guidance Department, is no longer on the WPK Secretariat, nor is he on the register of Central Committee department directors. This is also notable. 

The Presidium’s complete exclusion of anyone with an official military leadership position, a position within the WPK Secretariat, or a department director position is unprecedented.  

Choe Ryong-hae, the chair of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly, also failed to make the cut for the WPK Central Committee, which indicates an effective ousting. Going forward, it will be important to closely watch Jo Yong-won and the role he plays within the party.

Pak Thae-song, who has served as North Korea’s premier, was also left out of appointments for party Secretariat and department director positions. Kim Jae-ryong and Ri Il-hwan, who have served as party secretaries, were made secretaries and department directors once again.

By Lee Je-hun, senior staff writer

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