North Korea’s ninth party congress, held this week, was little more than a rubber-stamping exercise. That much was clear when the Chinese premier Xi Jinping congratulated Kim Jong-un on his re-election as the general secretary of the Workers’ party of Korea. But we would be wrong to dismiss this gathering as merely symbolic.

The last time North Korea held such a congress, in January 2021, Kim outlined a shopping list of desired weapons and missiles. Since then, North Korea has tested or obtained each item. All this week’s congress did was cement North Korea’s self-perceived status as a nuclear-armed state. While Kim underscored how North Korea’s nuclear weapons will never be up for grabs, he did not rule out the prospect of talks with the United States – albeit with a caveat. The week-long event also saw Kim promote his sister, Kim Yo-jong, and praise the country’s economic development.

In contrast to his father, Kim has convened these five-year congresses with surprising regularity. These gatherings are deliberately opaque, with few concrete details revealed while they are ongoing. At the same time, however, the information that is disclosed offers crucial insight into the hermit kingdom’s domestic and foreign policy priorities, whether regarding its nuclear ambitions, economic plans, or the promotion (and demotion) of officials. While this year’s event, which attracted over 5,000 party members, contained few surprises, it did emphasize the........

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