North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to lift living standards as he opened a landmark Workers' Party congress. The gathering, held once every five years, offers a rare glimpse into the nation's economic strains.
"Today, our party is faced with heavy and urgent historic tasks of boosting economic construction and the people's standard of living," Kim stated in his opening speech. He emphasized the need for an active struggle without "standstill or stagnation."
While nuclear weapons and military prowess have historically taken precedence, Kim has increasingly stressed fortifying the nation's economy since assuming power. At the last congress in 2021, he admitted "mistakes had been made in almost all areas" of economic development. Analysts suggest this language aims to mitigate public discontent over food shortages and military spending.
Kim declared North Korea had overcome its "worst difficulties" in the past five years and is entering a new stage of "optimism and confidence in the future." However, the economy has long languished under heavy Western sanctions aimed at its nuclear weapons program.
Thousands of party elites gathered for the congress, the ninth to convene under the Kim family's rule. The meeting was revived in 2016 after being shelved under Kim Jong Il. Footage showed Kim entering the meeting, where officials' seating arrangements are closely scrutinized for signs of power shifts, including the presence of his teenage daughter, Ju Ae, who is seen by some as the heir apparent.
Messages of support were sent by the ruling parties of China and Russia. At the previous congress, Kim declared the United States his nation's "biggest enemy," and keen interest surrounds whether this stance will be softened or reinforced.