North Korea has announced plans to hold a party plenary meeting in December to review the year’s activities and the work of the 8th Congress of the Workers’ Party. The 9th Congress, which will establish a new five-year plan, is expected to convene early next year.
Kim Jong Un, the General Secretary, stated during his address at the 13th meeting of the 14th Supreme People’s Assembly, held on September 20 and 21 that while the upcoming plenary meeting of the 13th Central Committee in December will provide a comprehensive evaluation, he can offer a preliminary assessment. He believes that the five-year plan, including this year’s objectives, will be successfully completed, and he has no doubt that he will report this at the 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea.
At the 8th Congress in 2021, North Korea indicated that party congresses would be held every five years. However, some experts speculated that North Korea might hold a party congress on October 10 to mark the 80th anniversary of the party’s founding, or replace the recent year-end plenary meetings with a party congress.
Nevertheless, based on General Secretary Kim’s remarks, it appears that the 9th Congress will take place next year rather than this year. The plenary meeting scheduled for December is expected to serve as an opportunity to conduct the first assessment of the five-year plan established during the 8th Congress.
As a result, North Korea’s new foreign policy direction is likely to be finalized in early 2024.
On September 3, General Secretary Kim made his debut on the multilateral diplomatic stage during the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Anti-Japanese War and World War II, signaling a significant shift in foreign policy. Leaders from North Korea, China, and Russia led the procession, followed by representatives from over 20 other countries, suggesting that this new alliance will become a cornerstone of future diplomatic strategy. The 9th Congress may also see General Secretary Kim expand his proactive diplomacy by directly engaging with allies in the anti-U.S. coalition.
Earlier, on September 11 and 12, General Secretary Kim inspected the Armored Defense Weapon Research Institute and the Electronic Weapon Research Institute, announcing plans to present a dual policy of nuclear and conventional forces at the 9th Congress. On September 18, he unveiled the finalized version of a kamikaze drone.
This shift suggests that North Korea, which had previously focused on developing strategic weapons centered on nuclear missiles, will significantly expand its operational weapons in light of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Specific project plans, including the types of new weapons to be developed, are expected to take shape around the time of the 9th Congress next year.
According to the South Korean Ministry of Unification, since General Secretary Kim took power, there have been 19 plenary meetings. Since 2021, North Korea has maintained a pattern of holding one meeting in the first half of the year (June) and one in the second half (December). These meetings typically follow the sequence of reports, committee discussions, and conclusions, focusing on key issues such as evaluations of major party and state policies for the year, directions for the following year’s policies, and organizational matters including personnel appointments.