North Korea leader's sister promoted at party congress

The almighty sister of North Korean person Kim Jong Un has been fixed a promotion successful the ruling enactment operation during a uncommon enactment congress, State media reported connected Tuesday (February 24, 2026).

The Workers’ Party Central Committee connected Monday (February 23) named Kim Yo Jong – antecedently a lawman section manager – arsenic a afloat section director, Pyongyang’s authoritative Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

Thousands of enactment elites person packed the superior Pyongyang for a once-in-five-years acme of the ruling Workers’ Party, a gathering that directs authorities efforts connected everything from diplomacy to warfare planning.

The legislature offers a uncommon glimpse into the governmental workings of reclusive North Korea and is wide seen arsenic a forum for Mr. Kim to flex his grip connected power.

Kim Yo Jong has agelong been among her brother’s closest lieutenants and 1 of the astir influential women successful the isolated regime.

Born successful the precocious 1980s, according to the South Korean government, she is 1 of 3 children calved to Mr. Kim’s begetter and predecessor, Kim Jong Il, and his 3rd known partner, erstwhile dancer Ko Yong Hui.

She was educated successful Switzerland alongside her member and roseate rapidly up the ranks erstwhile helium inherited powerfulness aft their father’s decease successful 2011.

In 2018, she visited South Korea for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics during a play of inter-Korean rapprochement.

Pyongyang besides often uses her sanction to contented statements outlining its positions oregon criticising the South and the U.S.

Heir apparent

Later successful the days-long congress, Kim Jong Un is expected to unveil the adjacent signifier successful North Korea’s atomic weapons programme.

The country’s atomic arsenal has been transformed nether Mr. Kim from a root of mild planetary interest to thing treated arsenic a genuine threat.

It is conscionable the ninth clip the Workers’ Party legislature has convened nether North Korea’s decades-spanning Mr. Kim rule.

Particular attraction volition besides beryllium placed connected the whereabouts of Kim’s teenage girl Ju Ae, who has emerged arsenic North Korea’s heir apparent, according to Seoul’s nationalist quality service.

At the erstwhile legislature 5 years ago, Mr. Kim declared that the United States was his nation’s “biggest enemy”.

There is keen involvement successful whether Mr. Kim mightiness usage the legislature to soften this stance, oregon treble down.

U.S. President Donald Trump stepped up his courtship of Mr. Kim during a circuit of Asia past year, saying helium was “100 percent” unfastened to a meeting.

Mr. Kim has truthful acold mostly shunned efforts to resume top-level diplomatic dialogue.