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North Korean leader urges greater youth involvement in national development

Published: 03 May. 2026, 12:16

Participants of the event commemorating the 11th Congress of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League of North Korea form large displays of the words “Kim Jong-un Youth League” and the Workers’ Party emblem using torches on April 30 in Pyongyang, in a screen capture from the Korean Central News Agency website. [YONHAP]

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called for a greater role for young people in achieving national development, state media reported Sunday, following a meeting of the country's largest youth group last week.

Kim made the call on Saturday while meeting with participants in the 11th Congress of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Kim underscored the need for the younger generation to play a more proactive and courageous role in advancing party objectives, citing what he described as "new and enormous tasks" facing the party and the revolution.

He insisted that "the noble traits and iron-willed combat efficiency of the young people unprecedented in any other country are a proud symbol of our national power," adding that their patriotism and enthusiasm revolution are now evident across all sectors of socialist construction.

Kim was accompanied by Kim Jae-ryong, Ri Il-hwan and Ju Chang-il, secretaries of the central committee of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), among others, the KCNA said.

The youth league was hosted in Pyongyang from April 28-30, in what marked the first such event in five years.

Yonhap