Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), addresses the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea on Feb. 23, 2026. (KCNA/Handout via Xinhua)

PYONGYANG, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- The top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea outlined general goals for the national economy over the next five years, focusing on stabilization, consolidation and a gradual qualitative development, state media said Tuesday.

Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, articulated his vision for the country's future economic development in a speech at Monday's session of the ruling party's Ninth Congress, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

"The new five-year plan period will become a stage for stabilizing and consolidating our economy and bringing about its gradual qualitative development," Kim was quoted by the KCNA as saying.

The main schedule for the congress is to work out a long-term plan for the coming five years and to make a decision on the plan, Kim said in the speech.

"The vital success of a Party congress depends on how we define our struggle orientation of the coming five years, study and discuss the goals to be attained by each field and adopt relevant decisions," he said. ■