Kim called the past five years “unprecedented” and the “worst of the worst” time for the country.
“The surest and fastest way to tackle the current multiple challenges facing us is to make every possible effort to strengthen our own power and our own self-reliant capacity,” he was quoted by Yonhap news agency as saying.
The gathering is the first of its kind in five years, only the eighth in the nuclear-armed country’s history and comes weeks before US President-elect Joe Biden takes office.
Relations with Washington have been deadlocked since talks between Kim and President Donald Trump stalled over sanctions relief and what Pyongyang would be willing to give up in return.
North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un admitted the country's economic development plan had fallen short in "almost all areas" as he opened a rare congress of the ruling Workers' Party, state media reported Wednesday.
North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un admitted that "almost all sectors" had fallen short of their economic targets as he opened a rare congress of the ruling Worker
Wednesday, 6 January, 2021 - 08:00
A man watches a television screen showing news footage of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attending the 8th congress of the ruling Workers Party held in Pyongyang, at a railway station in Seoul. (AFP) Asharq Al-Awsat
North Korea s leader Kim Jong Un admitted that almost all sectors had fallen short of their economic targets as he opened a rare congress of the ruling Workers Party, state media reported Wednesday.
The gathering is the first of its kind in five years, only the eighth in the nuclear-armed country s history, and comes weeks before US President-elect Joe Biden takes office.