North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended New Year's celebrations in Pyongyang that included fireworks, patriotic songs and dances and a taekwondo demonstration, state media KCNA said on Thursday. Kim's daughter Ju-ae, who some analysts view as the frontrunner to become his successor, accompanied Kim during the celebrations, hugging ‍children along with her father, sitting next to him and holding hands with him, KCNA photos showed. In a speech, Kim lauded the North Korean people's efforts which led to "successes and phenomenal changes" in 2025, and called for their unity ‍as a key party congress expected to be held in ‍early 2026 will lay out the future direction for the country. North ‌Korea is expected to hold the 9th Congress of ‍the ruling Workers' Party of Korea soon, which will lay out the country's plans for the next ‌five years in various fields such as nuclear and weapons development, as well as the economy. Kim also sent a New Year's message to North Korean troops fighting on ‍Russia's side in the war in Ukraine, calling them the "greatest strength and ‍pride and