North Korean chief Kim Jong Un delivers a speech through the ruling Staff’ Celebration Congress in Pyongyang on February 19, 2026.
| Picture Credit score: AP
North Korean chief Kim Jong Un lauded his nation’s enhancing financial system and regional standing as he opened the nation’s most necessary political occasion, the place he’s anticipated to set his home and overseas coverage agenda for the following 5 years and additional entrench his household’s authoritarian rule.
North Korea’s official Korean Central Information Company stated Friday (February 20, 2026) that the ruling Staff’ Celebration Congress started the day before today with Mr. Kim delivering a speech emphasising the financial system. State media didn’t instantly report any feedback by Mr. Kim instantly addressing his standoffs with america and South Korea or his nuclear weapons programme, the principle focus of worldwide concern.
Mr. Kim stated the North has made important progress because the final congress in 2021, held through the shock of the COVID-19 pandemic, citing financial positive aspects and a firmer regional footing that he stated marked an “irreversible” strengthening of the state’s standing.
“This created beneficial situations and circumstances for giving a larger spur to our socialist building,” he stated. “Our celebration is confronted with heavy and pressing historic duties of boosting financial building and the folks’s lifestyle and reworking all realms of state and social life as early as potential.” KCNA stated the congress assembly in Pyongyang could be used to outline main coverage targets for the approaching years and strengthen the celebration’s organisational capabilities, however did not present extra particular data on the agenda.
Mr. Kim in recent times has leveraged Russia’s battle on Ukraine to advance his nuclear and missile capabilities and tighten alignment with Moscow, offering 1000’s of troops and substantial army gear to maintain Russia’s marketing campaign, presumably in change for financial help and army applied sciences. He has additionally pursued stronger relations with China, historically the North’s major ally and financial lifeline, touring to Beijing final 12 months for a World Warfare II occasion and having his first summit in six years with Chinese language President Xi Jinping.
Whereas North Korea’s strict data blockade obscures its true financial state, outdoors specialists counsel there was a gradual restoration, doubtless boosted by a post-pandemic rebound in commerce with China and weapons exports to Russia.
The congress, which can doubtless run for days, got here after a weekslong construct up throughout which Kim flaunted his army capabilities and toured main industrial and housing initiatives to tout his alleged achievements over the previous 5 years. About 5,000 delegates are taking part within the congress, together with 224 members of the celebration’s central management, Mr. Kim stated.
Chang Yoon-jeong, a spokesperson at South Korea’s Unification Ministry, stated the attendance stage was much like the 2021 congress and that Seoul was intently monitoring the occasion for shifts in inter-Korean relations or broader overseas coverage.
Consultants say Mr. Kim will doubtless use the assembly to put out his subsequent financial targets and additional plans to increase his nuclear-armed army, already outfitted with numerous techniques concentrating on U.S. allies in Asia and long-range missiles doubtlessly able to reaching the U.S. mainland.
South Korea’s spy company informed lawmakers final week it was awaiting indicators that Mr. Kim may use the congress to place his teenage daughter — believed to be named Kim Ju Ae and about 13 — as a possible successor, formalising the regime’s fourth-generation succession.
Diplomacy between Pyongyang and Washington has been frozen since 2019, following the collapse of a summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump over disagreements relating to U.S.-led sanctions on the North’ nuclear programme. Mr. Kim’s authorities has rebuffed U.S. presents for dialogue since Mr. Trump started his second time period, demanding that Washington first abandon its requires the North’s denuclearisation as a precondition for any talks.
North Korea has additionally suspended practically all talks and cooperation with South Korea since Mr. Kim’s fallout with Mr. Trump. Relations between the rivals have worsened in recent times as Mr. Kim discarded the North’s long-standing purpose of peaceable reunification and declared a hostile “two-state” system on the Korean Peninsula, a stance he might additional institutionalise within the Staff’ Celebration’s structure through the congress, specialists say.
Printed – February 20, 2026 10:26 pm IST