North Korea opens key party congressThis picture taken on Feb 1, 2026, and released by North Korea's KCNA shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un delivering a speech in North Pyongan province. (Photo via AFP)SEOUL — North Korea has opened a key party congress, state media said Friday, a once-in-five-years showcase that analysts say will outline a wide range of national priorities, including nuclear objectives. Pyongyang has also developed deep ties with Moscow during its war in Ukraine, with North Korean soldiers sent to fight alongside Russian forces. Any parade will be closely watched for signs of a shift in North Korea's military bearing. He even bucked decades of US policy by conceding that North Korea was "sort of a nuclear power".

Source: Bangkok Post February 20, 2026 02:35 UTC