Kim Jong Un opens Ninth Party Congress: Major economic goals achieved

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the country had overcome stagnation and achieved major economic goals over the past five years, opening the Ninth Party Congress, state media KCNA reported.

The congress, which began on Thursday, is the country's biggest political event. It is held every five years and could bring changes in leadership roles under Supreme Commander Kim.

In his opening speech, Kim said the past five years had been a "proud period," citing North Korea's achievements in politics, economy, defense, culture and diplomacy, while strengthening its self-reliance.

For the outside world, he said, North Korea has brought a "major change" in relations with other countries and in the global geopolitical landscape, Reuters reports.

Kim did not mention relations with the United States or South Korea in his speech, nor did he address his country's efforts to develop a nuclear arsenal.

The meeting, attended by 5.000 members of the ruling Workers' Party, presented new goals and plans for the next five years in various sectors, KCNA reported.

North Korea is expected to showcase its military capabilities in a parade as part of the gathering, as well as its weapons development goals.

Focus on daughter Zhu E

Analysts are watching to see if Kim will be given the title of "president" and whether his teenage daughter Ju E will appear, or whether she will be given some kind of official position.

There is increasing speculation among analysts, as well as from South Korean intelligence, that Kim is grooming Ju E as his successor.

When the previous, Eighth Congress was convened, the circumstances in which North Korea found itself were, as Kim put it, “literally so harsh that we could barely maintain our own existence.” The country's economy and industries were outdated, he added.

North Korea's economy recorded its biggest decline in 23 years in 2020, due to a combination of continued United Nations sanctions, lockdown measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, and bad weather, the South Korean central bank said, according to the text.

However, signs of recovery have emerged recently, with the economy growing 3,7 percent in 2024 - the fastest annual rate in eight years - supported by expanded economic ties with Russia, according to estimates by the Bank of Korea.

"Everything has fundamentally changed in the past five years," Kim said.

In a speech that focused largely on economic development and strengthening the party's role, Kim said the country faces "difficult and urgent historical tasks" of strengthening economic construction and raising the living standards of the population, Reuters reported.

Earlier this week, Kim marked the completion of 10.000 new apartments in Pyongyang, fulfilling the goal of 50.000 apartments set at the Eighth Congress.

Kim, however, also said that the country should "review the shortcomings" in development, without providing details.

Military parade

It is not clear how long the gathering will last, but the Seventh Congress lasted four days and the Eighth lasted eight days.

Satellite images showed thousands of North Koreans forming the slogan "Ninth Party Congress" in large Korean letters in central Pyongyang last week, NK News reported, citing it as a possible indication of plans for a military parade.

Kim may have toned down the tone of his speech to avoid international or military topics, said Jong Un-mi, a researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification.

"He seems to be refraining from public comment on sensitive issues," she said, especially ahead of US President Donald Trump's visit to China in April.

Kang Dong-wan, a political science professor at Dong-A University in Busan, said Kim could revise the rules to formalize the "two enemy states" rhetoric that guides policy toward South Korea.