North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been actively engaging in public activities across various sectors, including politics, economy, and military, throughout January. He has focused on managing public sentiment and strengthening the regime while directly setting the stage for a comprehensive performance review ahead of the 9th Party Congress, expected to convene in February.
As of January 25, Kim has conducted a total of 14 public activities this month. Early in the new year, he attended a New Year celebration performance with his daughter Ju-ae and wife Ri Sol-ju, showcasing a family-oriented atmosphere centered around the Paektu bloodline – a reference to the Kim dynasty’s lineage.
His military engagements, which included inspecting a nuclear-powered submarine construction site last December, have continued into this year. Kim visited an important military factory to check the production status of tactical guided weapons, including ballistic missiles and North Korea’s version of the Spike missile. He also observed training exercises for hypersonic missile launches.
Additionally, Kim has highlighted the achievements of North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia, aiming to use this as a key element of national unity. He visited the construction site of the Overseas Military Operations Combat Achievement Memorial Hall to honor these deployed soldiers and meticulously oversaw the creation of sculptures and artworks to be installed at the memorial.
His activities related to the economy and people’s livelihoods have also been prominent. Kim conducted on-site inspections at the construction of the Sinuiju Greenhouse Comprehensive Farm and the fourth phase of Pyongyang’s New City development in the Hwasong District, both aimed at improving the people’s diet. He also visited the renovation site of the Ryongsong Machine Complex and inspected a newly built workers’ resort.
These actions are all directly related to the achievements that will be settled at the 9th Party Congress. North Korea is set to evaluate the accomplishments of the past five years at this congress, which occurs once every five years, and prepare a new five-year plan. Kim’s series of public appearances can be seen as the final step in determining the achievements to showcase at the congress.
While the specific date has not yet been announced, internal preparations for the congress are underway. North Korea has completed the grassroots Party organization general meetings and city and county Party representative meetings, while the provincial Party representative meetings are either ongoing or expected to be held soon.
Once the provincial representative meetings conclude, the process will include qualification reviews for representatives, confirmation of the agenda, and document reviews. This will lead to a Politburo meeting of the Party Central Committee to finalize the schedule for the 9th Party Congress.
During the 7th Party Congress in 2016, the congress was held 23 days after the city and county Party representative meetings, while the 8th Party Congress in 2021 took place about a month later. North Korea announced on January 24 that it has completed the city and county Party representative meetings and selected representatives for the provincial Party meetings, but has not disclosed further developments.
Meanwhile, the South Korean government is closely monitoring the possibility that Kim will deliver a new message regarding the ‘two-state policy’ between North and South Korea, as well as his approach towards the U.S.
Kim maintains a stance of ‘no dialogue’ with South Korea, particularly amid rising tensions following recent incidents involving civilian drone incursions. Observers suggest he may further emphasize the concept of ‘two states’ and downplay the idea of unification.
Experts also note that North Korea continues to strengthen its ties with Russia. They believe Kim’s distrust of former U.S. President Donald Trump has grown following the recent U.S. actions against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. This leads them to conclude there will be no immediate momentum for U.S.-North Korea dialogue.
Furthermore, there are speculations that North Korea may initiate the establishment of Kim’s unique governing ideology, Kim Jong Unism, following this Party Congress. Professor Yang Moo-jin from the University of North Korean Studies predicts that the 9th Party Congress will present an advanced form of the five-party construction line (political, organizational, ideological, disciplinary, and work-style construction) to institutionally support Kim’s unique governing ideology.