The Debate Surrounding Kim Ju-ae: What Matters Isn’t the ‘Successor’ but the ‘Signal’

In North Korea, Party Congresses have only become politically significant subjects of analysis since the era of Kim Jong Un. Since the establishment of the North Korean regime, only nine Party Congresses have been held, with Congresses being held infrequently during Kim Jong Il’s era. However, since Kim Jong Un came to power, starting with the 7th Party Congress, they have become regularised political events held approximately every five years. Nevertheless, it is difficult to view the Party Congress itself as a core institution of North Korean politics. This is because North Korea’s Party Congresses are closer to political events utilised according to the leader’s needs than they are to political processes, like party conventions in democratic nations, where policies are discussed and accountability is demanded. In reality, policies or goals presented at the Party Congress are not necessarily implemented afterwards, and there is rare political mechanism for holding anyone accountable for failure. Therefore, when analysing North Korea’s Party Congresses, the crucial question is not what was announced at the congress, but rather what the leader sought to gain through it. In this context, the 9th Party Congress held in February 2026 should also be examined not primarily for its policy content, but rather for the political message the Kim Jong Un regime sought to convey through this political event.