Party charter codifies Kim Jong Un’s sole leadership

North Korea has announced the final version of its revised party charter, following its Ninth Party Congress in March 2026, according to analysis released on September 3. The National Security Strategy Research Institute in Seoul shared the complete text of the revised charter, providing insights into North Korea's political landscape.

Senior research fellow Kim In Tae explained that the revised charter solidifies Kim Jong Un's sole leadership position by institutionally consolidating his authority. Two key areas of change include removing references to predecessors from the party's preamble and expanding the Secretary General's powers in Article 24. The preamble previously praised the achievements of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, but these praises have been entirely removed, retaining only the term "Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il Thought" as the guiding ideology.

The charter now includes what North Korean authorities call the "Five Principles of Party Construction" from Kim Jong Un's era, rebranded as the "Permanent Party Construction Line." This revision represents a significant departure from previous charters, shifting North Korean legitimacy from historical inheritance to Kim Jong Un's personal authority and institutional framework.

The charter also specifies the Secretary General's duties and authorities in detail, strengthening their command and control over the party. Furthermore, the charter formally abandons North Korea's "two-nation" theory and unification rhetoric, replacing key phrases with references to wartime conditions and strategic decision-making.

The revision of the party charter marks the beginning of Kim Jong Un's "era 2.0" and sets the stage for long-term succession mechanisms based on the institution's framework.