North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s younger sister is among the officials who were awarded key posts at the country’s ruling-party congress, state media said Tuesday.
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Kim Yo-jong, who is believed to be 28, already holds positions of power in the North Korean government, and is frequently seen by her brother’s side during state trips around the country. “In February, South Korean intelligence officials said General Ri had been executed, apparently the latest senior official to fall in a series of purges and executions that the North’s top leader, Kim Jong-un, has used to consolidate power”. Senior party official Choe Ryong Hae regained a seat that he had lost; once considered Kim Jong Un’s No. 2, he is believed to have been briefly banished to a rural collective farm a year ago for re-education.
North Korea wrapped up its first ruling party congress in 36 years on Monday. Kim Jong Un watched the event from a platform flanked by second-in-command Kim Yong Nam and third-ranking Hwang Pyong So.
Kim vowed to refrain from using nuclear weapons unless the North’s sovereignty is violated.
He called on the entire country to “single-mindedly and faithfully carry through the ideology and guidance of dear leader Kim Jong-Un”.
Crowds cheered, waved flowers and fanatically applauded Kim Jong-Un as the 33-year-old leader looked down on his people.
The Chinese president sent his congratulatory note despite Kim’s defiant insistence during the congress that the North is a “responsible” nuclear state.
The North did pull some surprises, however, when releasing the names of party members of various ranks. “Four BBC staff, who were invited to cover the Workers’ Party Congress, remain in North Korea and we expect them to be allowed to continue their reporting”.
An unusually large contingent of 128 foreign journalists were issued visas to visit during the congress, but their access to formal proceedings was limited to a brief visit by a small group to the congress venue on Monday.
Jeong then said if the North makes an official proposal for talks, Seoul will make a decision to accept or reject it based on an examination of all details.
Wingfield-Hayes was detained on Friday as he was about to leave the country and taken away for eight hours of questioning and “made to sign a statement”.
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North Korea had been engaged in a 70-day campaign of accelerated productivity in the run-up to the Workers’ Party congress, including sprucing-up the capital, a grueling exercise that left many people exhausted, Western residents said.
