North Korea opened its ruling party congress in a mood of increased confidence, with national priorities on the agenda, including nuclear ambitions and economic planning.
The event, held every five years, is Pyongyang’s most important political event, and is closely observed overseas. Leader Kim Jong Un hailed the country’s “great success” in a triumphalist opening speech, saying that during the 2021 congress, the country was in such dire straits that “we could hardly maintain our own existence,” the Financial Times reported. Since then, analysts said, its military support to Russia has given it a powerful ally, and its economy has seen relatively strong growth. It also developed more dangerous missiles and made progress building a nuclear submarine.