North Korea opens major party congress
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea has opened its most important political event, where leader Kim Jong Un is expected to map out his domestic and foreign policy agenda for the next five years and further entrench his family’s authoritarian rule. State media said Friday that Kim emphasized the economy during his speech at the opening of the Workers’ Party Congress the previous day. Kim said the country has made significant progress since the 2021 congress, held during the shock of the COVID-19 pandemic, citing economic gains and a firmer regional footing that he said marked an “irreversible” strengthening of the state’s status.