In this photo released Monday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (C) and officials applaud during the fourth day of the Ninth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea in Pyongyang. According to KCNA, Kim was re-elected Sunday as the general secretary of the ruling Workers’ Party. Photo by KCNA/EPA
North Korea’s ruling party reelected Kim Jong-un as its general secretary at the ongoing party congress, touting the rapid improvement of the country’s nuclear-based war deterrence under his leadership, state media said Monday.
“The Ninth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) decides to elect Kim Jong-un as general secretary of the WPK … for the development of the WPK and the prosperity of the state,” the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, citing the “unshakable” will of party members, the people and soldiers.
The KCNA reported the congress decision made the previous day, the fourth day of what is typically several days of meetings, at the end of which key policy goals for the next five years are announced, including on the economy, defense and diplomacy.
North Korea’s party regulations require the ruling party to elect its general secretary at a party congress.
The congress hailed Kim for building “the revolutionary armed forces capable of coping with any threat of aggression on their own initiative and fully prepared for any form of war.”
“The war deterrence of the country with the nuclear forces as its pivot has been radically improved and our state has dynamically advanced in the orbit of prosperity … despite the stern challenges of history,” the KCNA said, quoting the congress decision.
Speaking to the congress, party secretary Ri Il-hwan said the leader “made it possible to design and create to the full the dream and ideal for prosperity, which had been desired for a long time, even in the middle of this confused planet shaking with wars and tyranny.”
“Only Kim Jong-un can guide the trend of gigantic transformation of our cause put on an orbit of leap forward to a steady upturn without halt,” Ri also said, adding that the country has successfully defied sanctions and become a “formidable” force recognized by the enemies.
The KCNA said the congress also adopted revised party rules during the Sunday meeting, but no particular details were released, including whether they had codified the North’s policy regarding the two Koreas as “hostile countries,” as some had speculated.
At the end of the congress, the party is expected to adopt a decision setting new policy directions for the next five years, including on the economy, defense and diplomacy. Whether it will issue any message in response to Washington’s or Seoul’s overtures to resume dialogue remains a key point of attention.
North Korea launched the ninth congress last Thursday, its first since the eighth in 2021. The congress is the highest decision-making body in North Korea.
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