Kim Yong-un promotes his influential sister to perpetuate his family’s power in North Korea

The news of the rise of Kim Yo-jong has been revealed by the state agency KCNA and a key congress to define the roadmap of North Korean foreign policy and weapons capabilities is registered in the full central committee of the Workers’ Party, the first to be held in Pyongyang in the last five years.

Kim Jong-un’s sister, until now deputy director of Propaganda and Agitation, has been promoted to the position of department directorreported KCNAalthough without specifying more details about his new responsibility. Yo-jong had become one of the most influential figures of the dictatorial regime and his name appeared on the shortlist of possible successors to the supreme leader.

However, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service revealed a few days ago that Kim seems to have opted for his daughter. Kim Ju-yeahwhich in recent months has been seen in public events of a marked political and military nature.

His aunt, the ‘sweet’ Kim Yo-jong, has criticized Seoul for the drone incursions into North Korean territory, and even warned of a “tough response” if similar incidents occur. However, last Thursday he praised the recognition by the southern neighbor that it was three civilians who launched the drones.

The protection that Kim provides to her sister contrasts with what she did with her older brother, Kim Jong-namwho was murdered in 2017 amid rumors that he was an American CIA informant.

Not a word about the US

This Tuesday, during a new speech before the Congress of the single party, Kim Jong-un committed to consolidating and developing the quality of the country’s economy over the next five years. In this sense, promised a “large-scale phase of progress” and undertake a technological and cultural revolution so that new projects are successful.

The North Korean leader also warned that “dereliction of duty, irresponsibility and other deep-rooted diseases that seek only immediate profits” will be eradicated.

So far, Pyongyang has not released no specific message about his foreign policyas well as its position regarding its declared enemies, the United States and South Korea, and has chosen to focus on underlining internal economic progress after the critical situation that the country experienced after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Almost 7,000 people, including delegates and observers, participate in the regime’s highest decision-making body, whose previous congress in 2021 lasted eight days of sessions and concluded with the determination to strengthen nuclear capabilities.

Pyongyang is also expected to announce the sophistication of its nuclear deterrent and the overall strengthening of its military. As in previous editions, North Korea is expected to display your military might in a parade at the end of the Congress.