Third-day Sitting of Ninth WPK Congress: Kim Jong Un Makes Report on Work of Eighth WPK Central Committee

PYONGYANG, Feb. 23 (KCNA): The Ninth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea is intensifying the most comprehensive political activities in carrying out its leadership mission as the political General Staff in the socialist cause.

The third-day sitting of the congress was held on February 21.

Comrade Kim Jong Un continued his report on the work of the Eighth Party Central Committee.

The report made an in-depth analysis of the Party Central Committee’s work in the period under review, during which it fulfilled its important mission and role as the vanguard of the revolution, ushering in a new era of unprecedented changes and upsurge in light of the scope and depth of the struggle and speed of development. The audience was deeply moved by the report filled with the boundless pride of ushering in a new heyday of strengthening the whole Party and pioneering a new irreversible trend of comprehensive national rejuvenation.

It clarified a new fighting strategy corresponding to the strong spirit of advance of the country and the people and their soaring self-confidence and brought up for discussion the long-term goals of all sectors and the tasks and ways for attaining them.

The participants further hardened their self-confidence in the bright future of their cause, as they attentively listened to the report consistent with the invariable will to put the overall socialist construction on the definite track of prosperity and leap forward in the coming five years by making more vigorous and dynamic efforts in the most important stage decisive of the success of the DPRK’s cause on the basis of the invaluable gains achieved through the arduous struggle and the precious review of them.

The delegates expressed full support to General Secretary Kim Jong Un’s significant report serving as a milestone in promoting the steady development of the great Party and the historic process towards a powerful country.

The congress unanimously acknowledged that the report on the work of the Eighth Party Central Committee is a revolutionary guideline for the struggle which enables all victories and glory won during the period under review to lead on to more rapid development, faster change and greater progress by maintaining the innovative and offensive fighting spirit and mode of advance.

Speeches were made on the first agenda item.

They were made by Jang Kyong Guk, chief secretary of the Sinpho City Committee of the WPK who is a delegate of the South Hamgyong provincial Party organization, and Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, a delegate of the Pyongyang municipal Party organization.

The speakers expressed their enthusiastic support and approval for Kim Jong Un’s report encapsulating the mature demand of the Korean revolution going over to a new stage of development, the scientific line of struggle and strategic and tactical issues.

All the participants are taking an earnest approach to the important discussion, full of firm resolve, confidence and conviction.

US to stop collecting tariffs deemed illegal by Supreme Court on Tuesday

WASHINGTON, (Reuters): The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency said it will halt collections of tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act at 12:01 a.m. EST (0501 GMT) on Tuesday, more than three days after the U.S. Supreme Court declared the duties illegal.

The agency said in a message to shippers on its Cargo Systems Messaging Service (CSMS) that it will de-activate all tariff codes associated with President Donald Trump's prior IEEPA-related orders as of Tuesday.

The IEEPA tariff collection halt coincides with Trump's imposition of a new, 15% global tariff under a different legal authority to replace the ones struck down by the Supreme Court on Friday.

CBP gave no reason why it was continuing to collect the tariffs at ports of entry days after the Supreme Court's ruling, and its message offered no information about possible refunds for importers.

The message noted that the collection halt does not affect any other tariffs imposed by Trump, including those under the Section 232 national security statute and the Section 301 unfair trade practices statute.

"CBP will provide additional guidance to the trade community through CSMS messages as appropriate," the agency said.

Reuters reported on Friday that the Supreme Court decision made more than $175 billion in U.S. Treasury revenue generated by the IEEPA tariffs subject to potential refunds, based on an estimate by Penn-Wharton Budget Model economists. Their estimate from a ground-up forecasting model showed that IEEPA-based tariffs were generating more than $500 million per day in gross revenue.

US ready to hold talks with Iran on February 27 if Tehran responds to proposals — media

WASHINGTON,  (TASS): The Washington administration is prepared to hold a new round of talks with Iranian representatives in Geneva on February 27 if Tehran provides a detailed response to US proposals on the republic’s nuclear program within 48 hours, Axios reported.

"If Iran gives a draft proposal, the US is ready to meet in Geneva on Friday in order to start detailed negotiations to see if we can get a nuclear deal," a senior US official told Axios.

The report says that US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and businessman Jared Kushner "plan to be in Geneva on February 27" if Iran responds early next week. The source noted that the US and Iran "may also discuss the possibility of an interim agreement before a full nuclear deal is agreed."

The website stresses that "is likely the last chance President Trump will give Iran before launching a massive US-Israeli military operation that could directly target Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei."

A new round of negotiations between Iran and the US on resolving the crisis around Tehran’s nuclear program took place on February 6 in the capital of Oman. The Iranian delegation was led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, while the US team was headed by special presidential envoy Steve Witkoff.

On February 17, the second round of Oman-mediated talks between the US and Iran on the nuclear dossier took place in Geneva. According to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, the parties reached a mutual understanding on several issues that could be included in the draft of a future nuclear program deal. US Vice President JD Vance said that the talks went well on a number of issues, but Tehran is not yet ready to accept a number of fundamental positions outlined by the White House. The time and place of the new round of negotiations have not been disclosed.

Summary: Second-Day Sitting of the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea

 

The second-day sitting of the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) was held on 22 February in Pyongyang. The congress is described as an important milestone in the development of the Party and socialist construction.

The meeting continued discussion of the first agenda item: reviewing the work of the WPK Central Committee. Delegates evaluated the implementation of Party and state policies during the past five years under the leadership of Kim Jong Un, who headed the eighth-term Central Committee.

The congress praised the achievements made in politics, economy, culture, defense, and diplomacy. It emphasized that the successes and lessons learned during this period provide a strong foundation for future development.

The past five years were described as a time of major transformation in advancing Korean-style socialist construction. The Central Committee was recognized for focusing on identifying shortcomings, prioritizing the interests of the state and the people, and promoting balanced national development.

The report also highlighted:

• Strengthening of Party leadership and organizational power

• Successful implementation of five-year plans decided at the Eighth WPK Congress

• Growth in political and economic potential

• Increased internal strength and confidence for future progress

During the session, Kim Jong Un began presenting an important report reviewing the work of the eighth-term Central Committee. Delegates listened carefully to what was described as a historic and significant report.

US President Donald Trump announces new global tariffs of 15 percent

(Washington): , US President Donald Trump announced a global tariff hike on goods imported into the United States to 15 percent, after vowing to continue the trade war after the US Supreme Court ruled that the tariff measures he had imposed were illegal. According to a report by AFP news agency.

Trump posted on Truth Social that after a thorough review of Friday's decision, which he considered anti-American, by the Supreme Court, his administration would raise import tariffs to 15 percent.

First, immediately after the US Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to reject the president's authority to impose tariffs under a law called IEEPA, Trump announced a new global tariff of 10 percent through another legal means.

The new tariffs are, by law, temporary, lasting for 150 days. The White House said exemptions remain in place for sectors that are under separate investigation, including pharmaceuticals and goods imported into the United States under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. On Friday, the White House said that U.S. trading partners that have reached bilateral tariff agreements with the Trump administration will also face the new global tariffs.