Kim Jong Un was re-elected Secretary-General of the Workers' Party of North Korea during the Ninth Party Congress, which set his priorities between strengthening nuclear deterrence and improving the economic and living situation of the population.

Published on: 02/23/2026 - 04:34Last updated: 02/23/2026 - 07:57

North Korean official media announced that Kim Jong Un was re-elected Secretary-General of the ruling Workers' Party, during the party's ninth congress, which was held on Sunday.

The official news agency reported that the decision came “in accordance with the firm will and unanimous desire of all delegates,” stressing that Kim’s leadership had strengthened “the country’s ability to deter war” after its transformation into a nuclear power.

The Labor Party Conference is held every five years over a period of several days, and is a rare opportunity to learn how to manage the affairs of a country that lives in extreme secrecy, even in the smallest details of daily life.

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The conference determines the state’s directions in various files, from building housing and improving services to military and war planning. It also includes a review of the regime’s policies and the party’s position in government.

During Thursday's opening speech, Kim pledged to improve the population's standard of living, and spoke about the economic pressures resulting from the sanctions, saying that the party "faces major historic tasks" to strengthen the economy, raise the standard of living, and bring about a "transformation in all aspects of life" as quickly as possible.

The media reported that the conference this year will also address the next phase of the nuclear weapons program, and that the delegates voted to amend the party regulations to strengthen internal discipline, in the ninth party conference held under the rule of the Kim family, after a long hiatus during the reign of Kim Jong Il until its resumption in 2016.

France 24/AFP

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