Analysis on Political and Economic Situation in North Korea after the 8th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea
Li Chengri1
[Abstract] In January 2021, the 8th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea was held in Pyongyang. The congress fully summarized a five-year strategy for the national economic development for 2016-2020, charted out a new five-year plan for the national economic development, and further consolidated the leadership of the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The WPK identified “the People-First Principle” and the economic construction policy of “Self-Reliance”. A series of messages delivered at the 8th Congress of the WPK will determine the basic directions of the political, economic, party-building, and foreign relations policies of North Korea for the next five years.
[Key Words] The 8th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea; The five-year plan for the national economic development; The People-First Principle; Self-Reliance
The 8th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea (hereinafter referred to as “WPK”) was held in Pyongyang from January 5 to January 12, 2021. The congress was held in the context of the stalled peace process on the Korean Peninsula since the failure of the North Korean and U.S. summit in Hanoi in February 2019, the change of the U.S. administration in 2021, and severe impact on the North Korean economy under multiple pressures such as international sanctions, COVID-19, and floods. The congress fully summarized the five-year strategy for the national economic development for 2016-2020, charted out a new five-year plan, and set domestic and foreign affairs goals. The North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended and offered guidance at the congress in person. He also delivered an important speech and made significant conclusions. A series of messages delivered at the 8th Congress of the WPK will determine the basic directions of the political, economic, party-building, and foreign relations policies of North Korea for the next five years.
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- Li Chengri is a research associate of the National Institute of International Strategy, attached to CASS ↩︎