North Korea held its 8th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) in January 2021, an event where leader Kim Jong Un was named General Secretary and a new five-year national strategy was announced. In reports from the congress, Kim outlined plans to bolster the country’s military capabilities and addressed what he described as significant shortcomings in the previous economic plan.
The congress, which convened in Pyongyang, was the first of its kind in five years. One of the key leadership developments was the election of Kim Jong Un to the position of General Secretary of the WPK. According to reports from the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), this title was previously held by his late father, Kim Jong Il, and his grandfather, Kim Il Sung.
During a lengthy report delivered over several days, Kim reviewed the country’s previous five-year economic development strategy, which concluded in 2020. KCNA reported that Kim stated the goals of the plan “were immensely not met in almost all sectors.” He cited both internal and external challenges as factors in the outcome.
Following this assessment, Kim presented a new five-year plan focused on self-reliance and internal development. The policy emphasized strengthening domestic industries to better withstand the effects of international sanctions and other external pressures. Key sectors targeted for growth included the metal and chemical industries.
On matters of defense and foreign policy, Kim affirmed a commitment to expanding North Korea’s military power. He announced goals for advancing the country’s nuclear arsenal, which included developing new weapon systems. According to state media reports on his speech, these objectives involve creating smaller, more tactical nuclear weapons, hypersonic missiles, and a nuclear-powered submarine.
In his address, Kim characterized the United States as the country’s “biggest enemy.” He stated that North Korea’s foreign policy should focus on “subduing” the U.S. and that its approach would not change based on who occupies the White House. At the same time, he noted that the possibility of diplomatic relations was not ruled out, but depended on the U.S. withdrawing what he termed its “hostile policy” toward North Korea.
The congress concluded with the adoption of the new five-year plan and revisions to the party’s rules. The event took place amid ongoing economic difficulties for the country, which North Korean officials have attributed to international sanctions, border closures related to the global COVID-19 pandemic, and natural disasters.
