Pyongyang: Choe Ryong-hae, the 76-year-old chairman of the North Korean parliament and former top military leader, has been excluded from the members of the country's ruling party central committee. Along with other senior officials, this exclusion marks a major generational shift in leadership.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Choe, party secretary Pak Jong-chon, party adviser for defense Ri Pyong-chol, and several other senior officials were not included in the new list of members of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea as reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). During the fourth day of the ninth party congress, the party elected 138 members and 111 alternate members to its central committee, indicating a significant reshuffle in the leadership.

Including Choe, Pak, and Ri, nearly 70 members of the central committee were replaced compared to the list from the eighth congress in 2021. This reshuffle underscores a substantial change in the top leadership body, as membership in the party central committee is often seen as a requirement for assuming major official posts in North Korea.

Choe has served as director of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army and as chairman of the standing committee of North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly since 2019, while also being a member of the party's politburo. His exclusion from the party central committee suggests he may be relieved of his current positions when a new parliament is formed following the party congress.

The departure of Choe, along with Pak and Ri, both holding marshal rank and top-level military posts, highlights a significant generational change in North Korean leadership. The new list includes Jo Chun-ryong, head of the party's defense manufacturing department, who has gained favor for his role in developing new weapons systems.

Additionally, the list excludes two senior officials in charge of inter-Korean relations -- Ri Son-gwon, director of the now-abolished United Front Department (UFD), and party adviser Kim Yong-chol. This omission might indicate that North Korea may continue its hostile policy toward Seoul.

The ninth congress, launched by North Korea on Thursday, is the first since the eighth congress in 2021. Its purpose is to review policy outcomes from the previous congress and set new goals for the next five years. The congress serves as the highest decision-making body in North Korea.