The advancement, if correct, possible even more cements her position as the secretive country’s second-most powerful determine.
Speaking to lawmakers in the National Assembly on Tuesday, Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo reported Kim Yo Jong is likely now in charge of the Group and Assistance Office (OGD) of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Celebration (WPK), the occasion system that discounts with ideological indoctrination, social gathering organization and political appointments.
Industry experts say the OGD is also dependable for checking the approximated 3 million users of the WPK to make absolutely sure they are adequately faithful to Kim Jong Un and respect the teachings of the North Korean regime.
Kim Yo Jong has for a long time been a reliable aide and confidante to her brother. She beforehand served as 1 of North Korea’s prime propagandists and is now an alternate to the Politburo — the senior physique of North Korea’s ruling party.
When North Korea and the ruling Workers’ Celebration normally do not publicly proclaim management alterations, experts and analysts experienced speculated beforehand that Kim may perhaps have been place in demand of the Firm and Direction Department earlier this calendar year, based mostly on her rising portfolio of responsibilities. Jeong, the South Korean protection minister, claimed Kim now seems to also have an crucial function in shaping coverage toward South Korea and the United States.
Talk of Kim Yo Jong’s expanding job in North Korean politics has earlier fueled speculation about her brother’s well being. Kim Jong Un traditionally has stored a grueling routine crammed with public appearances, but he disappeared a handful of times from the general public eye earlier this calendar year, occasionally for weeks on conclude. He also reportedly keeps a pretty harmful life style.
North Korea is a notoriously opaque country with out a free of charge press, so absences that would be unconventional in most of the earth can happen in Pyongyang without the need of official rationalization. In fact, South Korea’s official assessments with regards to Kim Yo Jong’s new position title arrive amid reviews she was absent in the course of several significant governing administration and social gathering meetings this summer time.
It truly is not clear if her apparent disappearance is tied to her operate previously this summer season, when she oversaw the destruction of an office used for dialogue concerning the two Koreas. The bombastic statement was thought to be in response to defectors sending anti-North Korean propaganda from within of South Korea into North Korean territory.
Many experts feel Kim Yo Jong’s climbing profile has been part of a diligently choreographed publicity campaign by North Korean point out media to sign that she’s being groomed for one thing, but have been loath to hook up her rising position to any speculation about Kim Jong Un’s demise.
There have been no indicators that Kim’s grip on electrical power has eased, Jeong reported. Agent Kim Byung-kee, who attended the NIS briefing final week, reported he was advised that Kim Jong Un is nevertheless the ultimate authority in North Korea and physical exercises “complete ability.”
When requested about Kim Jong Un’s probable succession programs, Jeong told South Korean lawmakers Monday it would be “inappropriate for me to formally discuss about that.
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