North Korea announced on February 8 that it will hold the 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party later this month, though it did not specify an exact date.
The party’s official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported that a Politburo meeting of the 8th Central Committee was held on February 7, presided over by Kim Jong Un, the General Secretary of the Party.
The report stated that the Politburo of the Central Committee unanimously adopted a resolution to convene the 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party in Pyongyang, the revolutionary capital, in late February 2026.
During the meeting, members deliberated on agenda items including the review of delegate qualifications, proposals for the composition of the executive, presidium, and secretariat, schedule review, and examination of documents to be presented at the 9th Party Congress.
According to the newspaper, General Secretary Kim positively assessed the efforts of the relevant subcommittees of the Party Congress Preparatory Committee in advancing the congress preparations. He emphasized the need to address key issues and specific tasks to ensure the success of the congress.
The newspaper, however, did not elaborate on the key issues and specific tasks mentioned by Kim.
North Korea has also completed the practical procedures for selecting delegates to the congress.
The newspaper reported that from January 28 to February 6, party organization representative meetings were held, including those from provincial (directly governed city) party committees, the cabinet, the People’s Army, the Ministry of Social Security, and the Ministry of Railways. Participants included officials from leading institutions and delegates elected at the city and county party representative meetings.
Previously, North Korean media reported that on January 24, they concluded meetings of the grassroots party organization general assemblies (representative meetings) and city and county party representative meetings. On January 28, they held a meeting of the Central Committee to elect representatives for the 9th Party Congress.
In these party organization representative meetings, they evaluated the work of the relevant party committees in implementing the programmatic tasks presented at the 8th Party Congress. The meetings reportedly involved serious discussions on establishing forward-looking goals and scientific methods for their realization, drawing from the experiences and lessons of the past five years.
During the meetings, speakers highlighted the achievements made in consistently strengthening the party’s unified leadership system and the role of mobilization in implementing party policies.
The upcoming party congress, which will set the direction for national governance over the next five years, is a significant event for North Korea’s mid-term policies and strategies.
Since assuming power in 2011, Kim has reinstated a party-centered governance model, holding the 7th Party Congress in 2016 – the first in 36 years since the 6th Congress in 1980. North Korea established a five-year cycle for party congresses during the 8th Party Congress in 2021.
The 9th Party Congress is expected to review the achievements of the past five years and outline domestic and foreign policy directions for the next five years. Observers are particularly interested in whether Kim will deliver messages regarding inter-Korean and U.S. relations.
North Korea has touted its close ties with Russia as its most significant diplomatic achievement over the past five years. A key point of interest will be whether the congress continues this approach or considers messages aimed at dialogue and negotiation with the U.S. and South Korea.
