▲ North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attends the ninth congress of the Workers' Party of Korea on Feb. 22, 2026, in this image captured from the Korean Central Television on Feb. 23, 2026. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

N Korea-party congress

N. Korea's Kim says no shifting environment can deter country's progress at party congress

SEOUL, Feb. 24 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has said the country's progress would not be deterred by any changes in the security environment at the ongoing party congress, state media reported Tuesday.

But he did not issue any message to South Korea or the United States despite their continued overtures to resume dialogue, in a possible sign that the North may leave room for a policy shift amid the fluid international situation.

"No challenge or change in the situation can delay or check our advance," Kim told the congress of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea the previous day, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

He also called for more boldness in "overcoming and eliminating backwardness and evil practices" in his "concluding" speech to the congress, according to the KCNA.

The party congress opened Thursday to review policy outcomes from the previous 2021 congress and set new goals for the next five years.

But in a speech, Kim made no mention of South Korea and the U.S., which have extended overtures to resume diplomacy with Pyongyang.

It is rare for the North Korean party congress to avoid sending any message to Washington or Seoul several days into the meeting. Experts said North Korea appears to be taking a wait-and-see stance amid political uncertainties, including upcoming April summit talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Kim cited ideology, technology and culture as the three areas where a vigorous "revolution" is needed, saying promoting the three sectors is the party's general policy for building a socialist nation.

As North Korea's struggle over the past five years has been anchored in its autonomous capability and the great power of its people, so too will its struggle be for the next five years, he noted.

After 10 or 20 years, "if we steadily push forward with our work for the development of the state and improvement of the people's well-being in the current way of struggle, we can surely transform the whole country and improve the living standards of all the people," he said.

The KCNA said that the congress was discussing goals and plans for the next five years across several sectors, including foreign relations, industry, agriculture, construction, military, arms industry and culture.

It remains unclear whether the results from the discussion will be disclosed through state media.

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