Pyongyang: Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, has been confirmed to assume the role of director of the general affairs department of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), as reported by state media on Saturday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim Yo-jong's promotion to a party department chief was announced during the WPK's plenary meeting on Monday, which took place amid the ninth party congress that concluded its weeklong session on Wednesday. Although her official title was not disclosed at the time, the North's state media referred to her as "director of the General Affairs Department of the WPK Central Committee" in its Saturday report. She was among the key party cadres and military commanders who received a new type of sniper rifle from the North's leader as "special gifts."
The leader of North Korea met with major leading cadres and military commanding officers at the WPK headquarters building the previous day, where he presented the "new-generation" sniper rifle to each of them, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Kim Yo-jong, formerly vice director of the party's propaganda and agitation department, was known to issue statements directed at South Korea and the United States, often expressing strong criticism amid tense inter-Korean relations.
With her new title, Kim Yo-jong's influence in the party is expected to increase as she leads the department responsible for managing the WPK's internal operations and administrative affairs. The KCNA also mentioned that Jo Yong-won and Kim Jae-ryong, members of the presidium of the political bureau of the WPK central committee, were among those who received rifles from the North's leader, along with members of the Central Military Commission and key military officers.
Kim Jong-un expressed his appreciation for their "extraordinary devotion for the country and the people" and conveyed his "absolute trust" in them, describing the sniper rifle as a "wonderful weapon." The North's leader also personally awarded weapon certificates to each recipient and participated in a shooting session with the leading cadres at a firing range, as reported by the KCNA.
Photographs released by state media showed Kim's daughter Ju-ae attending the rifle presentation ceremony and participating in a shooting practice session. In a rare disclosure, the North's media published a solo photo of Ju-ae aiming and firing a rifle. Earlier this month, South Korea's intelligence agency suggested that Ju-ae might be positioned to succeed her father as the state leader. The party congress had been closely watched for any signs of Ju-ae receiving a formal title at the event, but she only made a public appearance at a military parade on Wednesday night, marking the first party congress in five years.