North Korea's ruling party reelected Kim Jong-un as its general secretary at the ongoing party congress, touting the rapid improvement of the country's nuclear-based war deterrence under his leadership.

Axar.az informs, citing Yonhap, "The Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) decides to elect Kim Jong-un as general secretary of the WPK ... for the development of the WPK and the prosperity of the state," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, citing the "unshakable" will of party members, the people and soldiers.

North Korea's party regulations require the ruling party to elect its general secretary at a party congress.

The congress hailed Kim for building "the revolutionary armed forces capable of coping with any threat of aggression on their own initiative and fully prepared for any form of war."

At the end of the congress, the party is expected to adopt a decision setting new policy directions for the next five years, including on the economy, defense and diplomacy. Whether it will issue any message in response to overtures by Seoul and Washington to resume dialogue remains a key point of attention.

North Korea launched the ninth congress last Thursday, its first since the eighth in 2021. The congress is the highest decision-making body in North Korea.