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North Korea’s 9th Party Congress Sets Five‑Year Agenda, Highlights U.S. Dialogue and Succession

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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 in Pyongyang to Define Five‑Year Plan The Workers’ Party of Korea convened on Feb. 19, 2026, its first session in five years, to evaluate previous goals and chart policies for the next half‑decade. Delegates will address economic reforms, defense modernization, and diplomatic strategies. The opening session signals the regime’s intent to reset its long‑term roadmap after a period of stagnation. [1]

U.S. Dialogue Remains Conditional on Denuclearization Kim Jong‑un reiterated that any talks with Washington must be preceded by North Korea’s denuclearization, a stance he first voiced in a September parliamentary speech. Analysts expect the congress to keep the door open to U.S. overtures without committing to acceptance, preserving leverage ahead of President Donald Trump’s April summit with China’s Xi Jinping. This conditional approach balances diplomatic outreach with core security demands. [1]

Potential Formalization of Daughter Ju‑ae as Heir Observers note Ju‑ae, Kim’s teenage daughter, has appeared at high‑profile events and may receive an official title at the congress, suggesting a fourth‑generation hereditary succession. No formal announcement has been made, but the possibility underscores a shift toward dynastic continuity beyond Kim Jong‑un’s own generation. The move could solidify internal legitimacy while raising questions about future leadership dynamics. [1]

New Weapons Development Targets Enhanced Nuclear Deterrent The congress is set to detail plans for upgraded strategic systems, including a multiple‑rocket launcher and further development of a nuclear‑powered submarine envisioned in the 2021 defense plan. A military parade is being prepared to showcase these capabilities, reinforcing the regime’s “hostile” stance toward South Korea as codified in the party charter. These initiatives aim to strengthen North Korea’s deterrent posture amid regional tensions. [1]

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Timeline

1992 – South Korea and China sign the Joint Communiqué establishing diplomatic relations, which Lee later cites as the “core guidelines” for bilateral ties [21].

2016 – China imposes unofficial restrictions on Korean pop culture after Seoul deploys the U.S. THAAD missile‑defence system, creating a de‑facto ban on K‑pop and dramas [11].

2018 – Seoul and Pyongyang sign a military agreement to reduce border tensions, a pact Lee later urges to revive [6].

2019 – The last South Korean president visits China, marking a six‑year hiatus in top‑level Seoul‑Beijing exchanges until Lee’s 2026 trip [1].

Nov 28 2025 – At the G20 in Johannesburg, President Lee declares reunification a constitutional duty, warns of accidental clashes with the North, and stresses a peaceful, gradual approach [26].

Dec 2 2025 – Lee proposes reopening inter‑Korean hotlines to lower tensions and pledges a phased denuclearisation plan, targeting formal talks within six months and a 2030 agreement [29][30].

Dec 3 2025 – Foreign Minister Cho Hyun stresses that diplomatic engagement with North Korea must accompany deterrence, calling for a U.S.–South Korea–Japan trilateral framework despite recent Taiwan‑related frictions [28].

Dec 4 2025 – Diplomatic sources confirm Lee will travel to Japan in January for a summit in Nara, continuing shuttle diplomacy after an August visit and signalling intent to address wartime history while deepening ties [27].

Dec 9 2025 – U.S. chargé d’affaires Kevin Kim meets Unification Minister Chung Dong‑young, urging alignment on North Korean sanctions and proposing regular U.S.–Korea consultations to avoid mixed messaging [25].

Dec 16 2025 – The Korea‑North Dialogue Association forecasts that Seoul‑Washington coordination could spark renewed U.S.–North Korea talks in 2026, possibly culminating in a Kim‑Trump summit in April [24].

Dec 18 2025 – National Security Adviser Wi Sung‑lac delivers President Lee’s letter to UN Secretary‑General António Guterres, requesting a UN chief visit to North Korea to help restart dialogue [22].

Dec 19 2025 – Lee orders a security‑ministers meeting to coordinate inter‑Korean policy, aiming to harmonise the foreign and unification ministries’ differing approaches [23].

Dec 26 2025 – Media reports on Seoul’s push for a UN chief visit to the North, underscoring the administration’s reliance on international mediation [22].

Jan 2 2026 – In a CCTV interview, Lee reaffirms South Korea’s respect for the One‑China principle and cites the 1992 communiqué as the “core guidelines” for Seoul‑Beijing relations ahead of his China visit [21].

Jan 4 2026 – Lee begins a four‑day state visit to China, meeting Xi Jinping, emphasizing the One‑China policy, while North Korean missile launches and Chinese drills near Taiwan heighten regional volatility [5][20][19].

Jan 5 2026 – Lee arrives in Beijing for a 90‑minute summit with Xi at the Diaoyutai Guesthouse, signs 14 MOUs on trade, technology and the environment, and both leaders pledge annual meetings and vice‑ministerial talks on the Yellow Sea [13][16][12][14][15].

Jan 5 2026 – Xi tells Lee that “thick ice thaws slowly” and “ripe fruit falls on its own,” signalling that any easing of China’s cultural restrictions on Korean content will be gradual [11].

Jan 5 2026 – Lee asks Xi to act as a mediator on the North Korean nuclear crisis, noting that all inter‑Korean channels are “completely blocked” and seeking Beijing’s leverage over Pyongyang [4].

Jan 6 2026 – Lee meets Premier Li Qiang and parliamentary chairman Zhao Leji, signing cooperation deals on technology, trade and the environment and discussing Yellow Sea boundary demarcation [12].

Jan 7 2026 – A business forum in Beijing gathers CEOs of Samsung, Hyundai, SK, LG and Chinese firms such as CATL and Tencent, underscoring a push to deepen semiconductor, battery and cultural cooperation [18].

Jan 7 2026 – The summit yields no immediate lift of the Korean‑culture ban; Xi’s “ice” metaphor suggests any rollback will be incremental [11].

Jan 9 2026 – Cheong Wa Dae announces Lee will travel to Nara on Tuesday for a two‑day summit with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, aiming to boost security, trade and joint humanitarian projects [10].

Jan 12 2026 – Prime Minister Takaichi hosts Lee in Nara, with talks covering trade, regional security and a DNA‑analysis project to identify remains from the 1942 Chōsei mine disaster [3].

Jan 13 2026 – At the Nara summit, Lee tells Takaichi that Seoul‑Tokyo cooperation is “more important than ever,” pledging deeper collaboration on North Korea denuclearisation, supply‑chain security and crime‑fighting [9][2].

Jan 13 2026 – The leaders agree to pursue “orderly, healthy, and beneficial” cultural exchanges and to address the Chōsei mine remains through DNA analysis, though concrete steps on the K‑pop ban remain pending [8].

Jan 14 2026 – Media highlight that the Nara talks occur amid Sino‑Japanese tensions over rare‑earth exports and Taiwan, with Lee emphasizing Seoul’s balanced role between China and Japan [8].

Jan 16 2026 – South Korea’s Unification and Foreign ministries launch a vice‑ministerial consultative channel, meeting regularly to coordinate North Korea policy and align U.S. consultations [7].

Jan 21 2026 – Lee calls for restoring the 2018 inter‑Korean military agreement to reduce border tensions, signalling a renewed emphasis on confidence‑building measures [6].

2026 (planned) – Seoul and Beijing agree to hold annual high‑level meetings and vice‑ministerial talks on the Yellow Sea and regional security within the year [13].

2026 (planned) – The Korea‑North Dialogue Association anticipates a possible Kim‑Trump summit in April, contingent on creating “concrete conditions” for U.S.–North Korea dialogue [24].

2026 (ongoing) – Seoul and Tokyo commit to DNA analysis of the Chōsei mine remains and to expanding cultural exchanges, while the pace of lifting China’s de‑facto Korean‑culture ban remains uncertain [8][11].

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