North Korea announced on February 8 that it will hold the 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party, its highest decision-making body, in late February. As the direction of national governance for the next five years is set to be unveiled at this congress, all eyes are on whether Kim Jong Un will specifically outline the party’s foreign policy.
The party’s official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported that Kim presided over the 27th Politburo meeting of the 8th Central Committee at the party’s headquarters on February 7. Kim positively evaluated the preparatory work done by the relevant committees for the congress and instructed them to focus on both fundamental issues and specific tasks necessary for its successful outcome. However, the report did not mention any specific directives or the date of the congress.
The upcoming congress, which will chart the course for national governance over the next five years, is a crucial event for North Korea as it will finalize the regime’s mid-term policies. This marks the third congress since Kim took power in 2011, following the 8th Congress held in 2021, where North Korea established a five-year cycle for holding these gatherings.
A key point of interest at the congress will be whether there will be announcements regarding follow-up measures to the declaration made at the end of 2023 that characterized relations with South Korea as those of two hostile states. Observers speculate that the party’s charter may see amendments to the unification clauses or the introduction of new concepts to solidify this two-state narrative. In contrast, analysts expect the message directed at the U.S. to be cautiously worded, reflecting the current unstable geopolitical situation.
Will Unification and Nation Disappear While Border Lines Are Redefined? Experts Predict a Restrained Message Toward the U.S.
After defining inter-Korean relations as two hostile states, North Korea hinted at constitutional amendments reflecting this party policy but has yet to formalize them. Experts believe that North Korea is likely to announce additional measures to solidify the two-state concept at this congress, followed by steps to incorporate these changes into its constitution.
Currently, the preamble of the Workers’ Party charter still contains phrases like the unification and development of the homeland, the banner of national unity, and the peaceful unification of the homeland. There is a possibility that North Korea could completely erase concepts related to inter-Korean relations, such as unification, from the party charter during this congress. Additionally, there are cautious speculations about announcing arbitrary border lines to further strengthen the establishment of a state-to-state relationship.
Notably, during his public appearances last year, Kim maintained strategic ambiguity towards the Donald Trump administration while emphasizing that South Korea was not a dialogue partner.
In September of last year, during a session of the Supreme People’s Assembly, North Korea suggested conditional dialogue with the U.S., stating that if it abandons the obsession with denuclearization, there is no reason not to engage. However, they drew a line with the South Korean government under Lee Jae Myung, stating they would not engage. North Korea cited U.S.-South Korea invasion war exercises and the South Korean government’s anti-North policy as context for their stance.
In late October of last year, during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, President Trump publicly expressed a willingness to meet with Kim. However, North Korea maintained a tense atmosphere through missile provocations while refraining from direct criticism of Trump.
At this congress, North Korea is expected to exercise extreme caution in its messaging toward the U.S.
North Korea continues to prioritize its close ties with Russia as its top diplomatic priority, while the U.S. has yet to announce any specific measures that might prompt North Korea to engage in dialogue. Recently, the United Nations (UN) Security Council’s North Korea Sanctions Committee decided to exempt humanitarian projects for North Korea, which had been stalled due to U.S. opposition. However, analysts believe that this does not align with North Korea’s fundamental demands, making it unlikely to elicit a response.
Additionally, as the U.S. has recently intensified its containment of China and announced a new defense strategy (NDS) emphasizing South Korea’s leading role in North Korean deterrence, analysts suggest that North Korea will likely seek its own response strategies before engaging in dialogue.
There are also speculations about potential contacts between North Korea and the U.S. surrounding President Trump’s visit to China in April. However, the January military operations in Venezuela aimed at ousting President Nicolás Maduro are believed to have negatively influenced North Korea’s assessment of the situation.
Defense Sector Poised to Declare Parallel Nuclear and Conventional Arms Policy
In the defense sector, North Korea is expected to announce a dual policy of nuclear and conventional weapons development along with measures to enhance its nuclear deterrent capabilities.
During the 8th Congress in 2021, North Korea decided to focus on developing strategic weapons for nuclear and missile advancement. Since then, North Korea has concentrated on developing advanced drones for attack and reconnaissance, artillery systems capable of carrying nuclear warheads, cruise missiles, and underwater weapon systems like nuclear torpedoes.
North Korea has also introduced new weapon systems since the 8th Congress, including military reconnaissance satellites and the first submarines capable of launching nuclear weapons as well as nuclear-powered submarines. This focus on developing advanced strategic weapons aims to strengthen the country’s nuclear capabilities.
Last September, during a site visit to the Defense Science Institute’s armored defense weapons research center and electronic weapons research center, Kim stated that the upcoming 9th Congress will present a policy for the dual development of nuclear and conventional forces in defense construction.
This indicates a plan to continue developing nuclear strategic weapons while simultaneously enhancing conventional forces capable of overwhelming South Korea in the event of war.
Analysts interpret that the real combat experience gained from participating in the Russia-Ukraine war has influenced this stance. North Korea has directly witnessed the effectiveness of asymmetric and conventional weapons, such as drones and artillery, rather than advanced weaponry, during the conflict in Ukraine.
Speculation Grows Over Kim Jong Un as Head of State—Experts See No Immediate Need
Attention is also drawn to the possibility that Kim may ascend to the position of head of state after this congress.
Earlier, the U.S. North Korea-focused media outlet 38 North predicted that following the 9th Congress and the Supreme People’s Assembly, he could formalize the title of President of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. North Korea has referred to Kim as head of state since September 2024, aligning with the role of President defined in the revised constitutions of 1974 and 1992.
China, an ally of North Korea, also designates its leader as President. Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, noted that President Xi Jinping effectively uses the presidency to control both the party and the state comprehensively, suggesting that if Kim declares that his era has arrived during the 9th Congress, he may unify the roles of party leadership and national leadership, thereby acquiring a significantly larger title.
Furthermore, analysts suggest that Kim, who seeks an equal relationship with President Trump, may be aware that both President and Chairman are referred to as President in English. Currently, President Trump refers to Kim as Chairman.
However, some argue that Kim currently lacks the justification to adopt the title of President. Senior researcher Hong stated that with the promotion of Kim revolutionary thought and Kim Jong Unism, he has already reached a level of self-cultivation that signals the arrival of his era, but it raises questions whether he urgently needs to adopt the title of head of state.”
Officially, North Korea’s party charter states that its governing ideology is based on the Juche ideology (Kim Il Sung) and Songun politics (Kim Jong Il), but internally, measures to establish Kim Jong Unism have been ongoing. If Kim Jong Unism is formally announced, this congress is expected to serve as a significant moment for consolidating the governing ideology of the Kim regime.