Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, has been promoted by the ruling party during a party congress, North Korean state media reported today, quoted by Agence France-Presse.
The Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea has appointed Kim Yo-jong - previously deputy director of a department - as director of a department, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.
Kim Jong-un was unanimously re-elected by the party to the top post of general secretary, official media reported yesterday. Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a special message to Kim, congratulating him on his re-election as party leader, Reuters reported.
The North Korean leader told the congress that the country would unite and enter a qualitatively new stage of its economic development in the next five-year plan, the KCNA reported.
Thousands of party cadres flocked to the capital Pyongyang for the ruling party congress, a meeting that determines the state's actions in everything from diplomacy to military planning.
The congress offers a rare glimpse into the political functioning of the isolated country. It is seen as a platform that allows Kim to demonstrate his grip on power.
Kim Yo Jong has long been among her brother's closest associates and is one of the most influential women in ruling circles in North Korea, AFP noted.