North Korea's Kim Jong Un opens key party congress

"Kim said North Korea had overcome its "worst difficulties" since the last congress in 2021, held during the global economic downturn from the COVID-19 pandemic. The country was now entering a new stage of "optimism and confidence in the future," 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," he said."

"North Korea is one of the world's poorest and most isolated countries. Its strict information blockade obscures its true economic state. But its economy has suffered for years under Western sanctions that aim to block funding for its nuclear weapons program. Recently, however, experts suggest the country has seen some economic recovery. In 2024, the economy grew by 3.7%, according to the South Korea-based Korean Association of International Studies."

Kim Jong Un opened the Ninth Congress of the ruling Workers' Party in Pyongyang, addressing thousands of delegates and party elites. He said North Korea had overcome its "worst difficulties" since 2021 and was entering a new stage of "optimism and confidence in the future." He called for urgent historic tasks to boost economic construction, raise the people's standard of living, and transform all realms of state and social life as early as possible. North Korea's economy reportedly grew by 3.7% in 2024, and experts attribute part of the recovery to stronger ties with Russia, including troop deployments and military equipment transfers to support Russia's war in Ukraine. The congress will set domestic and foreign policy direction for the next five years.

Read at www.dw.com