North Korea’s Kim vows to root out ‘evil’, scolds lazy officials

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to root out “evil” and scolded lazy officials while praising his troops fighting with Russia against Ukraine, state media said on Friday (December 12, 2025), capping a major meeting of Pyongyang’s top brass.

The three-day meeting of the regime’s central committee discussed key policy issues as well as plans for a congress of its ruling party, expected in early 2026— North Korea’s first in five years.

Wrapping up the meeting on Thursday (December 11, 2025), Mr. Kim condemned “the wrong ideological viewpoint and inactive and irresponsible work attitude” of some officials, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.