North Korea to hold party congress in February, first since 2021

This picture taken on Dec 31, 2025 and released by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on Jan 1, 2026 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, his daughter Kim Ju Ae (centre) and wife Ri Sol Ju (left) watching a New Year’s celebration performance at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang. - Photo: AFP file

SEOUL: North Korea's leadership will hold a party congress later this month, state media announced Sunday (Feb 8), in what will be the first such major gathering since 2021.

The decision was made Saturday in a meeting of top leaders of the country's ruling Workers Party of Korea (WPK), including Kim Jong Un, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.