North Korea has announced plans to hold the 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party in late February.
The party’s official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported on February 8 that the 27th Politburo meeting of the 8th Central Committee convened on February 7 at the Central Committee headquarters. Kim Jong Un, the General Secretary of the Party, attended the meeting, which was presided over by Party Secretary Cho Yong-won.
The meeting was attended by members of the Politburo Standing Committee, as well as full and candidate members of the Politburo. Deputy heads of key departments within the Party Central Committee, who are part of the Congress preparation committee, were present as observers.
According to the newspaper, the Politburo of the Central Committee unanimously adopted a resolution to convene the 9th Party Congress in late February 2026 in Pyongyang, the capital of the revolution.
Page 2 featured an editorial commemorating the 78th anniversary of the Korean People’s Army’s founding, titled, The Korean People’s Army: The Victorious Revolutionary Force Safeguarding Our Great Nation’s Dignity and the People’s Eternal Happiness. The editorial emphasized that protecting the security and sovereignty of the Republic is the Army’s crucial and sacred mission. It urged the implementation of the Party’s five revolutionary training directives, calling for the intensification of practical, scientific, and modern training methods to transform all military branches into world-class forces.
Page 3 reported on groundbreaking ceremonies for local factories in Sinpyeong and Seoncheon Counties, which took place the previous day. Choe Ryung-hae, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly, Party Central Committee Department Head Ju Chang-il, and provincial party committee secretaries were in attendance.
On page 4, an article highlighted a song titled, I Understood: The Voice of Loyalty. It stressed that for soldiers of the People’s Army, the only response to a leader’s order is “Understood!” This phrase embodies the absolute loyalty and obedience characteristic of the revolutionary army and will continue to resonate across the nation.
An article titled, Rising Patriotic Fervor to Strengthen National Power, declared that the entire population, united behind a powerful military, is dedicating themselves to the sacred path of patriotism. This commitment aims to safeguard the motherland’s dignity and honor, as well as the happiness and future of their families.
Page 5 featured an article on Virtual Physical Production Systems. The head of the Automation Engineering Department at Kim Chaek University of Technology noted that globally, intelligent factories, farms, greenhouses, hospitals, and homes are being developed, all underpinned by virtual physical systems.
Page 6 highlighted families possessing 19 military enlistment certificates, emphasizing that the abundance of such families, who view defending the motherland as the highest form of patriotism and most sacred duty, is the reason for the strength of their socialist nation.