North Korea reelected leader Kim Jong Un as General Secretary of the Workers' Party at its 9th Party Congress, citing the nation's "dramatically enhanced war deterrence centered on nuclear capabilities."
The Korean Central News Agency reported on Jan. 23 that delegates unanimously adopted a resolution on the fourth day of the congress to reappoint Kim to the party's highest position. The move signals Pyongyang's intention to continue strengthening its nuclear arsenal.
Kim's top party title has evolved since he took power: from "First Secretary" in his early rule, to "Chairman" at the 7th Party Congress in 2016, then to "General Secretary" at the 8th Congress in 2021.
The resolution stated that North Korea has "built revolutionary armed forces fully prepared to proactively respond to any invasion threat and any form of warfare," adding that "the nation's war deterrence centered on nuclear capabilities has dramatically improved despite severe historical challenges."
Party Secretary Ri Il-hwan, proposing Kim's reelection, declared that "an era has arrived where there is no need to debate whether defense or economy comes first," calling Kim's reappointment "a solemn demand of the times and history."
Lim Eul-chul, professor at Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies, said the reelection based on achievements over the past five years "declares that the Kim Jong Un regime has entered a phase of stable, long-term rule."
The congress also replaced more than half of the Central Committee members, a key gateway to senior positions. Notably, Choe Ryong-hae, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly and a prominent figure of the second-generation partisan elite, was among the veterans removed, signaling a generational transition in the party leadership.