Kim Jong-un Emphasizes "Protecting Peace Environment through Strengthening Defense Capability" with Restrained Expression (Comprehensive)

8th Labor Party Congress Day 2 Work Summary Report
Possibility of Friendly External Message Without Displaying 'Nuclear Force'

North Korean Workers' Party Chairman Kim Jong-un delivered a business summary report on the second day of the 8th Workers' Party Congress on the 6th, according to a report by the Korean Central News Agency on the 7th.

North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un reaffirmed his determination to strengthen national defense capabilities and protect a peaceful environment during the second day of the 8th Congress of the Workers' Party. However, unlike in the past when he flaunted nuclear power, he hinted at the possibility of future friendly external messages with cautious and restrained expressions.

On the 7th, North Korea's state media Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on the second day of Kim's report on the Party Central Committee's work summary from the previous day, stating, "He reaffirmed the serious determination to strengthen the national defense capabilities to a higher level to reliably protect the safety of the country and the people and the peaceful environment for socialist construction, and raised the goals to be achieved in realizing this."

Following the opening speech that admitted economic failures, Kim again focused on economic issues that day. The agency reported, "The current status of major sectors and economic management fields, including transportation, basic construction, building materials industry, communications, commerce, national land environment, urban management, and foreign economy, were analyzed, and new goals and implementation methods for the five-year plan period were proposed." It also mentioned plans to develop cities and counties independently and diversely and increase production in agriculture, light industry, and fisheries. Additionally, KCNA stated, "Important tasks to promote the country's scientific and technological development were specifically presented."

At the 7th Party Congress, Kim's summary report was conducted over two days, but there is speculation that this time it could extend to the third or fourth day. KCNA hinted at this by saying, "The work summary report continues," suggesting that the report will proceed on the third day of the congress as well.

Hong Min, head of the North Korea Research Division at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said, "The work summary consists of four major areas: economy and national defense, inter-Korean relations, foreign relations, and party work development. It seems that economy and national defense were covered until yesterday, and the ongoing summary today will continue with inter-Korean, foreign, and party work development."

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un delivered a work summary report on the second day of the 8th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea on the 6th, according to a report by the Korean Central News Agency on the 7th.

The hint for external messages lies in Kim's mention of "strengthening defense capabilities" that day. Hong said, "Compared to the 7th Party Congress, where nuclear weapon advancement was prominently emphasized in the summary, this time the mention of strengthening defense capabilities was very cautious and restrained, in the context of creating a peaceful environment for economic construction," adding, "There is a possibility that a considerably moderate message leaving room for negotiation will be issued externally."

Yang Moo-jin, professor at the University of North Korean Studies, interpreted, "The softened expressions such as strengthening defense capabilities and protecting safety and a peaceful environment, rather than provocative terms like self-defensive nuclear weapons or strengthening war deterrence, imply an intention to moderate the tone."

Lim Eul-chul, professor at Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies, analyzed, "North Korea has consistently argued the need to create a peaceful environment, at least to focus on economic construction. This is a clear expression of intent that while concentrating on economic construction, they will not stop strengthening national defense capabilities unless a peaceful relationship with the United States is established."

Meanwhile, the Choson Sinbo, the official newspaper of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan representing North Korea's position, evaluated the 8th Party Congress by stating that North Korea, having completed its nuclear power, will now devote itself to economic development. The newspaper said on the 6th, "Having completed the country's nuclear power, Korea has further solidified its status as a strategic state and has become invulnerable to any invading forces," adding, "What remains now is for the people to no longer suffer hardships and to fully enjoy a prosperous and civilized life."

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