A confident Kim embarks on new era of defiance at North Korea conclave

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. SEOUL—North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un kicked off his country’s most important political event in half a decade with confidence, gearing up for an era of military expansion and defiance as a self-declared nuclear power. The 9th Party Congress, where North Korea’s leadership sets out its foreign policy and economic and military goals for the next five years, opened Thursday with a celebratory atmosphere.

During the last congress, in 2021, a somber Kim admitted to economic failures. But this year, Kim said he was filled with optimism. Kim said everything had changed since 2021, when North Korea faced sanctions, natural disasters and the Covid pandemic.

Pyongyang is now bolstered by expanded military capabilities and newfound diplomatic leverage. “Never has there been such a period as this one, in which we achieved so great successes despite the severity of trials and difficulties," the 42-year-old dictator said in an opening address to the 5,000 delegates gathered in Pyongyang, according to the state media account issued Friday. During the past five years, Kim has focused on expanding his military, vowed to never give up his nuclear weapons and spurned President Trump’s pitch to meet again as the two leaders did during Trump’s first term.

The Kim regime displayed 50 nuclear-capable rocket launchers “as a present for a glorious congress" ahead of Thursday’s opening event, state media reported. Kim, in a black leather jacket, operated a missile launcher as thousands of North Koreans waved their national flag. Kim has said that the 600mm rockets could carry tactical nuclear warheads and strike anywhere in South Korea.