#Sanctions

Kim Jong Un's Economic Gambit: Unpacking the 9th Workers' Party Congress on February 19, 2026

North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un, convened the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party on February 19, 2026, placing an emphatic spotlight on the nation's economy. This critical gathering, held every five years, is set to shape the reclusive state's trajectory for the next half-decade, with Kim claiming significant economic progress while acknowledging urgent tasks ahead. What do these pronouncements mean for North Korea's future and its place in the world?