North Korean leader Kim Jong-un vowed to strengthen the country's defense capabilities to protect a peaceful environment at a key congress of the ruling Workers' Party. 

The North's official Korean Central News Agency(KCNA) reported on Thursday that Kim made the remark the previous day as he reported to the second-day session of the eighth party congress held in Pyongyang. 

The KCNA said that Kim "clarified an important will to protect the security of the country and people and the peaceful environment of the socialist construction by placing state defense capabilities on a much higher level."

Kim's report focused on economic issues and contained no new policies on South Korea and the United States. 

The KCNA said in Wednesday's report that Kim analyzed the country's economic situation in various sectors including transportation, construction, communications and commerce, land environment and external economic relations. 

Kim then presented "the goals and practical ways for making innovations and development in the relevant fields during a new five-year plan."