Kim Jong-un's sister promoted during North's party congress, may be more involved in international policy
Published: 24 Feb. 2026, 18:36
![North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, center, speaks during the Ninth Party Congress of the Workers’ Party in Pyongyang on Feb. 23, in this photo released by the state-run Rodong Sinmun on Feb. 24. [NEWS1]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/02/24/824ff435-f412-4052-bbc3-3bb2a3e0e584.jpg)
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, center, speaks during the Ninth Party Congress of the Workers’ Party in Pyongyang on Feb. 23, in this photo released by the state-run Rodong Sinmun on Feb. 24. [NEWS1]
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s sister Kim Yo-jong was promoted to department head, a minister-level post, and reinstated as an alternate member of the Political Bureau during the Ninth Party Congress of the Workers’ Party, state media reported Tuesday.
The move is seen as a clear sign of Kim Yo-jong’s elevated political standing, with observers predicting she will take on a more active role in shaping policy toward the United States and South Korea.
In an expanded meeting of the first plenary session of the ninth Central Committee held Monday, new members were appointed to the Political Bureau Standing Committee, the Political Bureau, the Secretariat and department director posts, according to state-run newspaper Rodong Sinmun.
Kim Yo-jong was included in the list of Central Committee department directors, marking a promotion from vice department director. The newspaper did not specify which department she will head.
She was also named an alternate member of the Political Bureau, a key decision-making body of the party.
Until 2020, Kim Yo-jong served as first vice department director of the Organization and Guidance Department and as an alternate Politburo member. At the Eighth Party Congress in 2021, she was reassigned as vice department director of the Propaganda and Agitation Department and was removed from the alternate member list.
![Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, is pictured in a list of Central Committee department directors released by the state-run Rodong Sinmun on Feb. 24. [YONHAP]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/02/24/806887c4-2503-4519-87ed-f9ac27b7a11f.jpg)
Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, is pictured in a list of Central Committee department directors released by the state-run Rodong Sinmun on Feb. 24. [YONHAP]
“Kim Yo-jong is likely to head a newly established department overseeing policy toward the United States and South Korea,” said Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University’s Institute for Far Eastern Studies. “Given the emphasis this party congress placed on ideology, it's possible that she will become responsible for managing the party's ideology, propaganda and agitation in the future.”
Gen. Jong Kyong-thaek, director of the General Political Bureau, was named a member of the Political Bureau, the Secretariat and a department director. He also assumed the post of vice chairman of the Central Military Commission.
Kim Song-gi, a lieutenant general newly appointed as a Political Bureau member and member of the Central Military Commission, is believed to have been named director of the General Political Bureau.
The Political Bureau Standing Committee will be composed of five members: Kim Jong-un, Jo Yong-won, Pak Thae-song, Kim Jae-ryong and Ri Il-hwan. Ri and Kim Jae-ryong joined the committee as new members.
![North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, second row left, speaks with Political Bureau Standing Committee member Pak Thae-song, second row right, during the Ninth Party Congress of the Workers’ Party in Pyongyang on Feb. 23, in this photo released by the state-run Rodong Sinmun on Feb. 24. [NEWS1]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/02/24/b2e12a24-5add-4f1c-a345-089cf7d3ef98.jpg)
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, second row left, speaks with Political Bureau Standing Committee member Pak Thae-song, second row right, during the Ninth Party Congress of the Workers’ Party in Pyongyang on Feb. 23, in this photo released by the state-run Rodong Sinmun on Feb. 24. [NEWS1]
Kim Jae-ryong is believed to concurrently serve as organizational secretary and head of the Organization and Guidance Department. Ri is expected to oversee propaganda and agitation.
“The absence of additional military figures on the Standing Committee indicates an intent to maintain party-centered governance,” said Oh Gyeong-seob, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification.
In his concluding remarks at the congress, Kim Jong-un emphasized improving livelihoods over the next five years.
“They should take to meet the demands of the revolution and the times to lead the past five years of transformation to another five years of greater transformation, and made a solemn resolve to harden their self-confidence and renew their enthusiasm,” Kim Jong-un said in his concluding speech at the Ninth Party Congress on Monday, referring to the delegates of the Workers' Party.
![Members of the North Korean Workers' Party are seen attending the Ninth Party Congress held in Pyongyang on Feb. 23, in this screengrab from the state-run Korean Central Television. [NEWS1]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/02/24/d92d7a49-f952-4fc6-af21-5737dabdcd38.jpg)
Members of the North Korean Workers' Party are seen attending the Ninth Party Congress held in Pyongyang on Feb. 23, in this screengrab from the state-run Korean Central Television. [NEWS1]
“All sectors and all units [must] step up the three revolutions: ideological, technological and cultural,” Kim continued. “It is important for party and working people’s organizations and power organs to organize and conduct all their activities with a view to accomplishing the three revolutions, especially with a focus on awakening and training people ideologically and spiritually.”
Experts interpret the remarks as signaling an effort to reinforce internal cohesion through ideological education amid increasing difficulty in controlling the inflow of outside culture, while driving national development.
Over the five days of the congress — including the report on party activities, discussions and concluding remarks — North Korea did not issue any notable external message.
However, as the congress has been deliberating detailed goals and plans for the next five years across numerous sectors, observers expect that external policy, military and munitions matters will be included in the final resolution to be released later.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY SHIM SEOK-YONG [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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