North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has gifted top government and military officials with new sniper rifles after a week-long congress of the ruling Workers' Party.
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has gifted top government and military officials new sniper rifles after a week-long congress of the ruling Workers' Party.
State media has released photos featuring his teenage daughter, fueling speculation about her succession.
Kim handed over the rifles to senior party and military officials on Friday, expressing "full trust" and gratitude for the commitment shown in the five years since the previous congress in 2021, according to the Korean Central News Agency. Kim Yo Jong and other top officials were pictured testing the rifles at a shooting range.
The report confirmed that Kim's sister Kim Yo Jong is currently the director of the party's Central Committee's general affairs department. She has been a spokeswoman for Washington and Seoul in recent years. The new role signals an expansion of his influence over the party's internal administration and operations.
Kim's daughter is also seen holding a rifle in the photos. Kim Joo-ah, who was first seen in public during an intercontinental ballistic missile test in November 2022, has since appeared alongside her father at various military parades, industrial events and diplomatic meetings. South Korean officials have been closely monitoring her preparations to be named successor, who is believed to be around 13 years old.
The party congress, which has been held every five years since 2016, concluded in Pyongyang on Wednesday. At the meeting, Kim reiterated his plan to accelerate North Korea's nuclear weapons program. He also indicated that the door to talks with the United States was open while maintaining a tough policy towards South Korea, but reiterated his call not to make denuclearization a precondition.
South Korea's spy agency had earlier this month speculated that Kim Ju-ae might be formally nominated as the successor. However, she was not seen attending formal meetings of the congress. It is understood that no such announcement was made immediately, as party rules require a minimum age of 18 to hold official positions.
A state media report after the congress said that "a solid foundation has been laid to ensure the glorious succession and development of our party." Analysts interpreted this as an indirect message about the future succession.
