North Korea's Kim re-elected to lead ruling party at congress: Report

North Korea's Kim Jong Un re-elected as General Secretary, emphasizing nuclear deterrence and economic improvements at party congress.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been re-elected as the General Secretary of the ruling Workers' Party at a rare congress, state media said Monday (February 23, 2026).

The decision was made Sunday (February 22) — day four of the congress — "in accordance with the unshakable will and unanimous desire of all the delegates", the Korean Central News Agency said.

Under the leadership of Mr. Kim, "the war deterrence of the country with the nuclear forces as its pivot has been radically improved," the KCNA report said.

Held just once every five years, the days-long party congress offers a rare glimpse into the workings of a nation where even mundane details are shrouded in secrecy.

The gathering directs state efforts on everything from house building to war planning.

In his speech to open the congress on Thursday, Mr. Kim vowed to lift living standards, offering a glimpse of the economic strains affecting his sanctions-hit nation.