The once-in-a-generation congress of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party has prompted speculation from outside the isolated state. The seventh congress is the first such meeting in 36 years and is seen as the country's political and economic visions for changes.
The congress was held as the country needs a formal occasion to start the Kim Jong-un era. After four years' preparation since Kim took office, including preparations for politics, ideas and organizations, the conditions for the Kim Jong-un era is ripe. Just becoming the leader or firming up his position didn't mean his era had arrived.
For North Korea, the start of a new era needs a new framework of a set of policies, new visions and aims and new thoughts.
In his work report delivered at the congress, Kim articulated his plans to build North Korea into a powerful nation in five aspects, namely economy, politics, military, technology and culture. This indicates that he has developed a mature policy package for the country.
At the same time, a new era needs the readiness of the political composition of Kim's leadership. A new central committee and a new political bureau are expected to be formed at the congress.
Four years is arguably a long time for Kim to formally start his own era.
But given the massive preparation for all aspects, four years is not that long, given the economic and military buildups.
For instance, Kim envisioned a plan to build a militarily powerful nation in his work report. In the past four years, North Korea conducted two nuclear tests and a number of ballistic missile tests, especially this year.
Kim should have been thinking about this from the beginning, but his strategy has been changing over the times. After he became the leader for about one year, he realized the importance of improving people's livelihoods and adopted the two-pronged "Byongjin" policy of economic and nuclear advancement. Now he has raised plans to build the country into a powerful nation in five aspects, which is a gradual and maturing process.
A highlight at the congress was Kim's speech about Pyongyang's first five-year economic plan in decades. Pyongyang's economic plan shows that it is attaching more importance to its economy and will operate by adhering to objective economic laws.
Despite the time frame of the plan, be it five years or even longer, the key lies in whether it is planned or market-based. China has shifted from a planned economy to a market economy after implementing its economic plans. Japan also used medium- and long-term schemes to develop its economy.
North Korea started market reforms since 2002, and Kim has accelerated this process. By drawing experiences from international practices, marketization in the country is expected to speed up.
Besides emphasizing the economy, Kim also made unusual remarks that Pyongyang would not use a nuclear weapon unless threatened. He also vowed to "faithfully fulfill its obligation for non-proliferation and strive for the global denuclearization."
Such remarks came after an "H bomb test," a satellite launch, and several ballistic/submarine-based missile tests, and amid international efforts to bring Pyongyang back to the negotiation table. They also make a stark contrast to Kim's previous rhetoric such as "pre-emptive nuclear strike," "remove the US from the globe," and so on.
Compared with the latest remarks of "no first use nuclear weapons unless threatened," it remains to be seen whether this is only a change of tactics or a real deviation from past stances. But what really matters is that North Korea, by the new statement on "no first use unless threatened" from the congress, reaffirms its status as a "nuclear weapon state," and indirectly declares the death of the Six-Party Talks.
North Korea's nuclear status quo cannot be accepted by the international community. With North Korea officially ushers in the new era, the contest over its nuclear weapons enters into a new chapter too.
The author is a senior research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn