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North Korea’s 9th Party Congress Charts Five‑Year Plan, Heir Speculation, New Weapons

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  • North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks at the opening of a congress of the Workers' Party of Korea on Feb. 19, 2026, in this photo from the Korean Central News Agency the following day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
    North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks at the opening of a congress of the Workers' Party of Korea on Feb. 19, 2026, in this photo from the Korean Central News Agency the following day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
    Image: Yonhap
    North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks at the opening of a congress of the Workers' Party of Korea on Feb. 19, 2026, in this photo from the Korean Central News Agency the following day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap) Source Full size
  • This file image captured from the Korean Central News Agency on Jan. 28, 2026, shows a test of an upgraded multiple rocket launcher attended by leader Kim Jong-un and conducted the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
    This file image captured from the Korean Central News Agency on Jan. 28, 2026, shows a test of an upgraded multiple rocket launcher attended by leader Kim Jong-un and conducted the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
    Image: Yonhap
    This file image captured from the Korean Central News Agency on Jan. 28, 2026, shows a test of an upgraded multiple rocket launcher attended by leader Kim Jong-un and conducted the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap) Source Full size
  • North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (R) and his daughter, Ju-ae, watch a New Year's performance in Pyongyang in this Korean Central News Agency file photo on Jan. 1, 2026. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
    North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (R) and his daughter, Ju-ae, watch a New Year's performance in Pyongyang in this Korean Central News Agency file photo on Jan. 1, 2026. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
    Image: Yonhap
    North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (R) and his daughter, Ju-ae, watch a New Year's performance in Pyongyang in this Korean Central News Agency file photo on Jan. 1, 2026. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap) Source Full size

Congress Opens, Sets Five‑Year Agenda The Workers’ Party of Korea convened in Pyongyang on Feb. 19, 2026, its first session in five years. Delegates will evaluate past goals and outline policies for the economy, defense, and diplomacy through 2031. The opening marks a rare public assessment of the regime’s long‑term strategy[1].

U.S. Dialogue Remains Conditional Kim Jong‑un reiterated that denuclearization must precede any talks with Washington, echoing his September parliamentary speech. Analysts expect the congress to leave the door open for negotiations without committing to a clear acceptance or rejection of U.S. overtures. The stance is timed before President Donald Trump’s planned summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in April[1].

Hostile Charter Toward South Korea Anticipated The party is likely to embed the 2023 declaration that the two Koreas are “hostile to each other” into its charter. Formalizing this language would reinforce a policy of animosity toward Seoul and could affect future inter‑Korean engagements. Observers note the move signals continuity in the regime’s hardline posture[1].

New Weapons Development Highlighted Kim indicated the congress will clarify plans to strengthen the nuclear deterrent, building on the 2021 five‑year defense plan that introduced a nuclear‑powered submarine. Preparations are underway for a military parade to showcase upgraded systems, including a multiple‑rocket launcher. The emphasis on advanced armaments underscores the regime’s focus on strategic deterrence[1].

Succession Speculation Centers on Daughter Ju‑ae The teenage daughter, Ju‑ae, who has appeared at high‑profile events, may be formally recognized as heir at the congress. Confirmation would signal a fourth‑generation hereditary succession, a notable shift in North Korean leadership dynamics. No official announcement has been made, but observers are closely watching the outcome[1].

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Timeline

Nov 28, 2025 – Unification Minister Chung Dong‑young warns that North Korea may adopt a more hostile posture in 2026, urging “confrontation, hostility and hate” be removed and calling for renewed dialogue, while noting the upcoming U.S.–China summit in April 2026 as a decisive factor [27].

Nov 28, 2025 – President Lee Jae‑Myung tells a G20‑preparatory audience in Johannesburg that “reunification is a constitutional duty” and must be pursued through dialogue, warning that accidental clashes could occur without patience and diplomatic effort [28].

Dec 2, 2025 – Lee announces at the 22nd Peaceful Unification Advisory Council that South Korea will “re‑establish communication channels” with the North, including reopening the inter‑Korean hotline, as part of a broader push for peaceful coexistence [26].

Dec 2, 2025 – In the same address, Lee pledges a “Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons,” setting a target to begin formal negotiations within six months and a denuclearization agreement by 2030 [30].

Dec 2, 2025 – Lee reiterates the hotline proposal, stating that “restoring communication channels will reduce tensions and facilitate dialogue” amid ongoing military drills and missile tests [29].

Dec 9, 2025 – U.S. chargé d’affaires Kevin Kim meets Unification Minister Chung, stressing that “sanctions must stay in place” and proposing regular U.S.–Korea consultations to align messaging on North Korea [25].

Dec 10, 2025 – Acting U.S. Ambassador Kevin Kim says Washington and Seoul maintain a “very close” partnership on North Korea, discussing regular coordination meetings but declining comment on Lee’s nuclear‑free peninsula goal [24].

Dec 15, 2025 – South Korea and the United States hold their first post‑government‑change talks in Seoul, led by Jeong Yeon‑doo and Ambassador Kevin Kim, to coordinate North Korea policy and keep a dialogue channel open [23].

Dec 16, 2025 – The U.S. and South Korea conduct comprehensive talks anchored on the Oct 29 Gyeongju summit fact sheet, covering denuclearization and peace commitments, while the Unification Ministry opts out, citing concerns over inter‑Korean impacts [22].

Dec 17, 2025 – The Unification Ministry refuses to join a U.S.–South Korea post‑summit consultative framework, preferring direct talks with Washington and highlighting a rift between “autonomy‑minded” and “alliance‑first” camps [20]; the same day, it also declines attendance at the U.S.–South Korea North Korea policy meeting [21].

Dec 18, 2025 – National Security Adviser Wi Sung‑lac delivers President Lee’s letter to UN Secretary‑General Guterres, asking the UN chief to visit North Korea to help open dialogue [14]; Lee also urges pre‑emptive steps, noting North Korea’s new “triple layers of barbed wire” along the DMZ as a sign of heightened hostility [18].

Dec 25, 2025 – Analysts note that a Kim‑Trump summit could be arranged around President Trump’s planned April 2026 China visit, linking the prospect to a possible suspension of North Korea’s weapons programs, while recalling the 2019 Kim‑Trump Panmunjom meeting and the 2023 “hostile” inter‑Korean declaration [15].

Dec 26, 2025 – South Korea’s National Security Adviser urges China, via First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon‑joo, to “foster conditions” for resuming talks with the North; China’s Ma Zhaoxu affirms a constructive role in peninsula peace [19].

Dec 31, 2025 – President Lee declares he will act as a “pacemaker” for potential North Korea‑U.S. talks, supporting President Trump’s hope to meet Kim Jong‑un and emphasizing a “comprehensive strategic alliance” with the United States [12][13].

Jan 16, 2026 – The Unification and Foreign ministries launch a vice‑ministerial consultative channel, with Vice Unification Minister Kim Nam‑jung and Jeong Yeon‑doo leading the inaugural luncheon to improve coordination on North Korea policy [11]; the same day, former U.S. Special Representative Joseph Yun says Pyongyang would seek sanctions relief and formal nuclear acknowledgment—akin to Pakistan’s status—before entering talks [5].

Jan 21, 2026 – President Lee Jae‑Myung pledges a diplomatic push to restart North Korea‑U.S. talks and restore the 2018 Sept. 19 military agreement, warning that North Korea can produce “10‑20 nuclear weapons per year” and outlining a three‑stage denuclearization roadmap [6][7][8][9][10].

Jan 22, 2026 – Lee outlines a pragmatic peace strategy, proposing a three‑stage plan (freeze, arms reduction, denuclearization) and emphasizing U.S. engagement, noting that “Trump’s unconventional leadership historically enabled direct engagement with Kim” [4].

Jan 26, 2026 – Unification Minister Chung Dong‑young announces a review of appointing a “Korean Peninsula peace envoy” to mobilize regional support for restarting U.S.–North Korea dialogue, aligning the timeline with President Trump’s April China visit [3].

Feb 6, 2026 – A senior South Korean official in Washington predicts “some new progress in a few days” as a modest goodwill gesture toward North Korea, clarifying it is not a full U.S.–Pyongyang dialogue and noting Pyongyang’s limited appetite for talks amid deepening Russia‑China ties [2].

Feb 19, 2026 – The Workers’ Party of Korea convenes its 9th Party Congress, setting a five‑year agenda that keeps a dialogue door open with the U.S., codifies the 2023 “hostile” stance toward South Korea, outlines new weapons development for a next‑stage nuclear deterrent, and watches whether Kim Jong‑un’s daughter Ju‑ae will be formalized as heir [1].

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