Kim lauds North Korea's economy and regional standing as major party meeting opens

Kim Jong Un praises North Korea's economic progress and regional influence as he outlines future policies at the Workers' Party Congress.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un lauded his nation's improving economy and regional standing as he opened the country's most important political event, where he is expected to set his domestic and foreign policy agenda for the next five years and further entrench his family's authoritarian rule.

North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency said Friday (February 20, 2026) that the ruling Workers' Party Congress began the previous day with Mr. Kim delivering a speech emphasising the economy. State media did not immediately report any comments by Mr. Kim directly addressing his standoffs with the United States and South Korea or his nuclear weapons programme, the main focus of international concern.

Mr. Kim said the North has made significant progress since the last congress in 2021, held during the shock of the COVID-19 pandemic, citing economic gains and a firmer regional footing that he said marked an “irreversible” strengthening of the state's status.

“This created favourable conditions and circumstances for giving a greater spur to our socialist construction,” he said. “Our party is faced with heavy and urgent historic tasks of boosting economic construction and the people's standard of living and transforming all realms of state and social life as early as possible.” KCNA said the congress meeting in Pyongyang would be used to define major policy goals for the coming years and strengthen the party's organisational capabilities, but didn't provide more specific information on the agenda.

Mr. Kim in recent years has leveraged Russia's war on Ukraine to advance his nuclear and missile capabilities and tighten alignment with Moscow, providing thousands of troops and substantial military equipment to sustain Russia's campaign, possibly in exchange for economic aid and military technologies. He has also pursued stronger relations with China, traditionally the North's primary ally and economic lifeline, traveling to Beijing last year for a World War II event and having his first summit in six years with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

While North Korea's strict information blockade obscures its true economic state, outside experts suggest there has been a gradual recovery, likely boosted by a post-pandemic rebound in trade with China and weapons exports to Russia.