9th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea

The 9th Congress opened on 19 February 2026 in Pyongyang. WPK general secretary Kim Jong Un made an opening statement at the Congress.^[10] At the speech, Kim expressed "confidence" in North Korea, stating that "everything has fundamentally changed" for the better since the 8th Congress in 2021, including overcoming the "barbaric blockade" of sanctions by "hostile forces" and "creating favorable conditions" in foreign affairs. He stated that "Never has there been such a period as this one, in which we achieved so great successes despite the severity of trials and difficulties". However, he said that "deep-rooted defeatism, irresponsibility, conservatism, formalism and immaturity in leadership ability are latent at present in the work of the Party and government organs and officials".^[11]

The general agenda for the 8th Party Congress were as follows:^[7]

• Review on the work of the outgoing 8th Central Committee
• Amendments to the Rules
• Election of Kim Jong-un to the office of General Secretary of the WPK
• Election of the 9th Central Committee of the WPK and bodies subordinated to the Central Committee, as well as of other Party agencies

On the second day of the Congress on 20 February, Kim Jong Un started a series of speeches on the review of the work of the 8th Central Committee.^[12] According to the Korean Central News Agency, the review covered "politics, economy, culture, defense, diplomacy and other fields".^[13] On the third day of the Congress on 21 February, Kim continued his report.^[14] He outlined the "new fighting strategy" to guide the country and detailed the achievements in the report. Jang Kyong Guk, chief secretary of the Sinpo City Party Committee, and Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui also delivered speeches reviewing last five years.^[15]

On the fourth day of the Congress on 22 February, after a proposal by the Propaganda and Agitation Department director Ri Il-hwan, Kim Jong Un was re-elected as WPK general secretary for another five-year term.^[16][17] The Korean Central News Agency reported that it was a unanimous decision among delegates.^[17] Kim ran on the platform of continuing North Korea's nuclear arms program.^[18] The decision document praised him for having "built a revolutionary armed force capable of proactively responding to any invasion threat and fully prepared for any form of war."^[18] The Party congress also adopted a revision on the Rules of the Workers' Party of Korea, but no details were given.^[19] The amendments included the incorporation of the five-point Party-building line in the new era.^[20] The Congress elected the members and alternate members of the 9th Central Committee.^[21] On the fifth day of the Congress on 23 February, the 9th Central Committee held its first enlarged plenary meeting, which elected the WPK's Politburo and its Presidium, the Secretariat, the Central Military Commission, the Central Auditing Commission and Department Directors for Central Committee Departments, and approved personnel nominations for the Cabinet and Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly.^[22] Kim also gave a concluding speech on the day, where he promised "more substantial benefits" to reach the public while criticizing "extreme negligence, irresponsibility and fixation on immediate gains" in the management of newly built production and service facilities, while also promising to continue the country's "Three Revolutions" in the fields of ideology, technology and culture.^[23] The Congress continued holding sector-level meetings on the sixth day on 24 February, where party cadres "intensified the discussion on the orientation and plans of the work of different sectors and units" that included a "five-year strategy" that was presented earlier, with the results to be "submitted to the committee for drafting the decision of the Party Congress".^[24]

The Congress concluded on 25 February. After the conclusion of the Congress, KCNA reported that Kim stated North Korea is prepared for "peaceful coexistence or eternal confrontation" with the United States based on its response to the North Korean nuclear program, while stating that "If the U.S. respects our country's current status as stipulated in the Constitution of the DPRK and withdraws its hostile policy toward the DPRK, we have no reason not to get along with the U.S."^[25] He ruled out abandoning nuclear weapons, and said "Under the banner of so-called 'America First,' the U.S. has no regard for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security interests of other countries, and has been advocating 'peace through strength' solely to satisfy its hegemonic ambitions, without hesitation in invading and using force against sovereign nations". He rejected dialogue with South Korea, stating North Korea would continue the policy where "all ties with South Korea have been completely eliminated", continuing by saying "The DPRK has absolutely no business dealings with the Republic of Korea, its most hostile entity, and will forever exclude South Korea from the category of fellow countrymen". He rejected the possibility of Korean reunification, accusing South Korea of trying to reunite the Peninsula under the "capitalist reactionary system of liberal democracy". He added that North Korea would "continuously develop and advance our traditional friendly and cooperative relations with neighboring countries" and advance relations with "anti-imperialist and independent countries". He called for further developing North Korea's military and nuclear weapons. He stated North Korea would develop its economy in a five-year plan building local industrial plants, hospitals and service facilities in 20 cities and counties every year under the 20x10 Policy, and called for turning Pyongyang into a "world-class city" while developing less affluent towns. He stressed developing emerging industries, including space technology, artificial intelligence and newer forms of energy. Regarding culture, he called for the literature and arts to develop "the revolutionary consciousness".^[26]

On the night of 25 February after the Congress's conclusion, North Korea held a military parade in Kim Il Sung Square featuring over 14,000 troops. Kim delivered a speech at the event, saying that "Our military will immediately launch devastating retaliatory strikes against any military hostile act by any force that violates the sovereignty and security interests of our country". Kim appeared together with his wife, Ri Sol-ju, as well as his daughter, Kim Ju Ae.^[27]

On 20 February 2026, the Rodong Sinmun included letters from United Russia chairman Dmitry Medvedev and the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party congratulating the start of the Congress. Medvedev writing that "The strategic partnership between Russia and the DPRK is based on a long-standing tradition of friendship and cooperation, on this basis, our states are firmly repelling external pressure while ensuring stability and security in the Asia-Pacific region, while stating that the WPK had an "increasingly meaningful role" in the relationship.^[28] The letter from the CCP praised Kim Jong Un and the WPK for "economic development and improving the people's living standards", while stressing that relations had entered a new stage under Kim and General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping, promising to deepen exchanges with the WPK for "the sake of stable relations, the socialist cause in both countries and regional peace and prosperity".^[29] Rodong Sinmun also included letters from several North Korea-affiliated organizations of overseas ethnic Koreans including the General Association of Koreans in China and the Chongryon (General Association of Korean Residents in Japan).^[28] On 21 February, Rodong Sinmun further published congratulatory messages from the Communist Party of Vietnam, the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the Communist Party of the Russian Federation.^[13]

Following Kim's election as general secretary, CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping sent a letter of congratulations, praising Kim for "achieving new results in building a Korean socialist country" and saying the re-election reflects "the high trust and heartfelt support" of the party, the government and the people. He also referred to China and North Korea as "friendly socialist neighbors" and said it was China's "unwavering policy" to develop relations.^[19]