North Korea names Kim Yo Jong as potential successor

North Korean Leader’s Sister Promoted to Key Party Position

The Workers’ Party Central Committee has appointed Kim Yo Jong as full department director at the party congress. The appointment was announced by Pyongyang’s official news agency, KCNA.

Kim Yo Jong, who is also the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, will oversee the propaganda department. This role includes managing inter-Korean relations and external strategies.

The Workers’ Party summit, which took place in Pyongyang, saw thousands of party elites gather to discuss state efforts on various matters, including diplomacy and war planning. At the summit, members re-elected Kim Jong Un as secretary-general, extending his 15-year rule over the country’s governing party.

Kim Yo Jong has been a close associate of her brother and has risen rapidly through the party ranks since he took power in 2011. She was educated alongside her brother in Switzerland and made several high-profile visits to South Korea, including during the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games in 2018.

The promotion comes as Kim Jong Un outlined his vision for North Korea’s economy over the next five years. In a speech on Monday, he called for “full-scale progress” and promised to revolutionize thought, technology, and culture.

Chinese President Xi Jinping also sent a congratulatory message to Kim Jong Un following his re-election as party leader. The promotion of Kim Yo Jong has been seen as part of her brother’s efforts to solidify his grip on power and ensure the continuation of his rule.

Source: Al Jazeera