Kim’s sister elected to powerful North Korean body
Seoul, Sep 30 (EFE).- Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korea’s leader, has been elected as a new member of the powerful State Affairs Commission in a parliamentary session, state media reported Thursday.
During the session of the Supreme People’s Assembly (parliament) held on Wednesday in Pyongyang, Kim, along with six other officials, was elected as new members of this body that decides state policies, including those related to defense.
Along with Kim, two members of the powerful and exclusive presidium of the single-party politburo were also elected – Jo Yong-won and Pak Jong-chon, who was demoted in the summer due to an incident related to the management of the Covid-19 pandemic and was later reinstated.
Kim Tok-hun, another member of the current presidium (composed of four members and leader Kim Jong-un), was elected as vice chairman of the State Affairs Commission, thus replacing Pak Pong-ju, former prime minister and former member of the presidium.
Kim Yo-jong, who is also the deputy director of the propaganda department in the influential Central Committee since 2014, has gained a lot of weight in the regime, especially since she began initiating public statements last year.
Just days ago she published a series of messages aimed at Seoul in which she opened the door to improve relations as long as the South Korean government softened its stance towards the North.
Kim Jong-un himself endorsed that message in Wednesday’s parliamentary session, in which he announced that communications hotlines with the neighboring country, cut off since August, would be restored in the coming days, and urged Seoul to change its “attitude” to amend the cross-border ties.
Although the Supreme People’s Assembly supposes to be the legislative body of the country, functionally it automatically endorses the decisions taken by the top of the regime and Kim Jong-un.
It usually meets once a year in April to discuss budgetary and organizational matters, although under Kim’s leadership it has exceptionally held two sessions in 2012, 2014, 2019 and 2021. EFE
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