Pyongyang: North Korea has kicked off a rare gathering of its ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), state media said Friday, marking the start of the country's biggest political event that sets major policy directions on defense and the economy. "The Ninth Congress of the WPK opened with splendor in Pyongyang, the capital city of the revolution" the previous day, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the congress typically runs for several days and sets state policy goals for the next five years on the economy, defense, and diplomacy, and makes major personnel decisions. This year's congress, the first since 2021, will be widely watched for any signs regarding the country's nuclear weapons program or dialogue overtures toward Seoul and Washington.