Kim opens rare party congress in North Korea

SEOUL, Feb 20: North Korea's ruling party has opened a landmark congress, state media said Friday, launching a political spectacle expected to unveil the next phase in the nation's nuclear weapons programme.

Leader Kim Jong Un took centre stage with a speech to start the Workers' Party congress, a gathering that directs state efforts on everything from house building to war planning.
Party elites packed the cavernous House of Culture in Pyongyang for the once-in-five-years event, which is typically capped with an immense parade flaunting the military's latest weapons.

The congress offers a rare look into the workings of a nation where even mundane details are shrouded in secrecy -- and will be closely watched for insights into Kim's long-term thinking.
Kim said North Korea had overcome its "worst difficulties" since the last congress in 2021, and was now entering a new stage of "optimism and confidence in the future".

"Today, 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 Thursday, according to state media.

He also singled out "deep-rooted defeatism" and "immaturity in leadership ability" that still hindered the party's work, a sign of possible reprisals against officials seen to have fallen short.    �"AFP