North Korean leaders and members of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea have gathered in the capital Pyongyang to open their first party congress in 36 years.
The gathering is expected to be used by leader Kim Jong Un - the third in the Kim dynasty - to consolidate his power over the isolated, communist country.
Streets and the riverfront in Pyongyang received a makeover ahead of the congress, the seventh of its kind, and the first since Kim came to power four and a half years ago.
The agenda for the gathering has not been released, but Kim is expected to push through more changes in the party leadership and announce new targets for economic development.
The congress is expected to run for three or four days, according to the South Korean news agency Yonhap.
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The congress may feature a live-fire exercise, and may also see Kim's sister Kim Yo Jong promoted to a minister-level post, Yonhap reported Friday.
Many countries, from Pyongyang's only major ally China to its stated enemies South Korea, Japan and the United States, are watching to see whether Kim will address the country's nuclear program.
Nuclear and missile tests by Pyongyang since the beginning of the year have raised tensions with these and other world powers.
