Kim Jong-un "Will Present New Five-Year Economic Development Plan in January Next Year" (Comprehensive)

Holding the Party Plenary Meeting... Decision to Convene the 8th Party Congress in January Next Year
"Economic Goals Unmet Amid Harsh External Conditions"... New Targets Presented
New Messages to the U.S. and South Korea Also Noted Following U.S. Election Completion

On the 19th, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presided over the 6th plenary meeting of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea held at the Central Committee headquarters in Pyongyang, North Korea, according to a report by the Korean Central News Agency on the 20th. At this plenary meeting, it was decided that the 8th Party Congress will be held in January next year.

North Korea held a plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party and decided to convene the 8th Party Congress in January next year. Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, announced that a new five-year national economic development plan would be presented at the 8th Party Congress.

On the 20th, the North Korean state media Korean Central News Agency reported, "The 6th plenary meeting of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea was held at the headquarters building of the Party Central Committee on August 19, Juche 109 (2020)," and "the issue of convening the 8th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea was discussed as a main agenda item."

Presiding over the meeting, Chairman Kim Jong Un proposed, "To comprehensively, three-dimensionally, and anatomically analyze and summarize the biases and defects that appeared in the work to implement the decisions of the 7th Party Congress during this critical period of our revolution, and to discuss and decide on the strategic tasks of the new stage of struggle facing the Party and government, the 8th Congress of the Workers' Party will be convened."

Chairman Kim said, "At the 8th Party Congress, along with this year's work results, the Central Committee's work will be summarized, and a new five-year national economic development plan, including the direction of next year's work, will be presented."

The background for introducing the new five-year national economic development plan was cited as sluggish economic growth.

The plenary meeting's resolution stated, "Due to the continuation of harsh domestic and international conditions and the overlapping of unforeseen challenges, the failure to improve economic work has resulted in the serious underachievement of the planned national economic growth targets and no clear improvement in the people's living standards."

The Party Congress is the official highest decision-making body of the Workers' Party, which defines the Party's charter and decides on fundamental issues related to the Party's line, policies, and strategic tactics. The Party Congress was regularly held during the Kim Il Sung era but became nominal and ineffective after Kim Jong Il's rise to power. It was only after Kim Jong Un officially took power that the 7th Congress was held in May 2016, after 36 years.

Amid the worst economic crisis caused by accumulated sanctions against North Korea, the COVID-19 pandemic, and natural disasters such as floods, the convening of the Party Congress and the introduction of a new economic development strategy are seen as efforts to overcome the crisis and renew the social atmosphere.

This is also interpreted as an extension of attempts to normalize the state governance system centered on the Party. In his plenary meeting speech, Chairman Kim said, "The Party Congress should be convened regularly to confirm the line and strategic tactical measures guiding the era and revolutionary development, and the Party's leadership organs that can guarantee execution must be organized and reinforced."

Additionally, since January next year is immediately after the U.S. presidential election, attention is focused on whether North Korea, which has been restraining its external messages, will present a new strategy toward South Korea and the United States.

The 6th Plenary Meeting of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea was held on the 19th at the headquarters building of the Workers' Party Central Committee in Pyongyang, North Korea, with Chairman Kim Jong-un in attendance, according to a report by the Korean Central News Agency on the 20th. At this plenary meeting, the holding of the 8th Party Congress in January next year was decided.

Meanwhile, at the plenary meeting held the previous day at the headquarters building of the Party Central Committee, the shortcomings of the national work so far were reviewed, and the current situation was evaluated according to domestic and international conditions.

The news agency reported, "(Chairman Kim) analyzed the subjective and objective environment that faced unavoidable and unexpected challenges in various aspects this year and the situation around the Korean Peninsula, and evaluated the achievements and shortcomings in our Party and state work over the past four years since the historic 7th Party Congress."

Chairman Kim emphasized, "All levels of Party organizations, government bodies, military institutions, and all sectors and units must regularly and timely summarize the state of work to ensure no deviation from the Party's basic line, policies, and decision implementation, actively encourage and expand good results, and promptly overcome shortcomings and implement corrective measures."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.