ISTANBUL

North Korea is set to hold the 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea, the most important political event of the year, with final preparations underway, the Korea Herald reported Wednesday, citing North Korean media.

State-run newspaper Rodong Sinmun reported Wednesday that a delegate certificate ceremony for the 9th Party Congress was held Monday at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang.

Officials participating in the congress described the event as a “major turning point” that will set new national goals based on past achievements, as they paid tribute to state founder Kim Il-sung and former leader Kim Jong-il.

The newspaper said the ceremony was part of preparations for the congress, with participants vowing to advance its goals under the leadership of current North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

It also noted a Feb. 16 visit by senior officials to Kumsusan Palace marking Kim Jong-il’s birthday, where flower baskets were laid in Kim Jong Un’s name and in the names of key institutions, reinforcing unity ahead of the meeting.

North Korea typically awards delegate credentials shortly before a congress opens. For the 8th Congress, certificates were issued Dec. 30, 2020, before the Jan. 5, 2021 opening. In 2016, they were distributed May 4 ahead of the 7th Congress on May 6.

These steps have raised expectations that the 9th Congress, announced for late February at a Politburo meeting, will begin within days. Party congresses, usually held every five years, outline national strategy and leadership priorities, according to the Korea Herald.

The upcoming session, the first since 2021, is expected to signal policy direction amid economic strain, evolving military strategy, and shifting geopolitics, with attention on possible leadership changes and revised economic and security policies.