Pyongyang: North Korea will hold a key party congress in late February 2026, as announced by the North's state media on Sunday. This rare meeting is anticipated to be a platform where leader Kim Jong-un will unveil his ruling policies concerning military, diplomacy, and the economy.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the decision was made by the political bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) during a meeting presided over by party secretary Jo Yong-won under the guidance of Kim Jong-un. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that the WPK Central Committee's political bureau unanimously approved the decision to open the Ninth Congress of the WPK in Pyongyang, referred to as the capital of the revolution, in late February 2026.
This ninth party congress will be the first since the eighth in 2021 and is expected to outline significant policies related to the economy, diplomacy, and defense. The congress acts as the regime's highest decision-making body. During the meeting on Saturday, members of the politburo and its presidium approved decisions regarding delegate qualifications for the congress, as well as the composition of its presidium, platform, secretariat, and schedule.
Kim Jong-un expressed appreciation for the preparations being made for the party congress and clarified the principled issues and detailed tasks necessary for its successful execution, as reported by KCNA. This will be the third congress under Kim's leadership since he took power in late 2011, reinstating the congress after over 30 years to stabilize politics through traditional party-led governance.
Historically, previous congresses have opened with a speech by Kim, followed by an assessment of policies from the preceding congress, and the adoption of new decisions by the leader. Notably, the eighth congress in 2021, which lasted eight days, saw Kim being named party general secretary, a title previously held by his predecessors, solidifying his leadership role. It was also at this congress that North Korea pledged to develop advanced weapons like nuclear submarines and hypersonic missiles.
The focus of the upcoming congress is reportedly on foreign policy, potentially influencing Pyongyang's response to diplomatic overtures from Washington and Seoul. Although the North might keep the door open for discussions with Washington, it is unlikely to engage with Seoul, following a policy that characterizes inter-Korean relations as hostile. Kim is also expected to announce new weapons development plans, particularly concerning the country's nuclear deterrent.
In preparation for the congress, North Korea is reportedly organizing a military parade, which will be closely monitored for any indications of new weapon systems.