(Seoul) The sister and adviser to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been appointed to the country’s top executive body, state news agency KCNA reported on Thursday.
Kim Yo-jong, a close adviser to his brother, was promoted to a member of the State People’s Committee, which, in a series of changes approved by the Supreme People’s Assembly, acts as the registrar’s office of parliament administrator.
Fewer than nine members of the commission were removed from their posts, including Vice President Bagh Pang Joo and diplomat Cho Son Hui, one of North Korea’s top women, and a key player in the talks with the United States.
The official Rodong Sinmun newspaper on Thursday released portraits of eight new members, with Kim Yoo Jong standing out from the crowd by the same woman and her youth.
He was often seen close to his brother, with whom he studied in Switzerland, especially during summits with then-US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
Its exact political role has long been subject to speculation. She is sometimes given to her brother as a potential heir, which makes her the first female leader of this socially conservative country.
He was noted for his outrageous statements against Washington or Seoul, especially in the wake of the destruction of Pyongyang, the liaison office north of the south-built and funded border.
The significance of these statements, however, was that she was given a relatively low position as deputy director of the Labor Central Committee, and that she herself sometimes spoke on her behalf.
The 34-year-old’s official position has fluctuated over time, but his new position in the State Affairs Commission has been very high.
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