Seoul, Feb 24 (NationPress) The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Kim Yo-jong, has received a promotion to head a department at the ruling Workers' Party of Korea during the ongoing congress, as reported by state media on Tuesday.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) released a statement from the first plenary session of the ninth central committee of the ruling party, identifying Kim Yo-jong among the 17 newly appointed department heads within the party's new central committee.

Previously, she held the position of vice department director at the committee.

While the KCNA did not specify which department Kim Yo-jong will lead, experts speculate it may be the propaganda department, where she has previously served. In this new capacity, she is expected to oversee inter-Korean relations or strategies regarding foreign affairs.

An official from Seoul's unification ministry stated that the government is closely monitoring whether Kim Yo-jong will assume responsibilities related to South Korea or international relations.

At the plenary session, she was also reelected as an alternate member of the political bureau of the central committee, marking her return to this role after a five-year absence.

The plenary meeting took place the day before as part of the ongoing party congress, which began last Thursday to assess the policy outcomes from the previous 2021 congress and establish new objectives for the upcoming five years, as reported by Yonhap news agency.

Additionally, the session expanded the party's secretariat from seven to eleven members, potentially creating new roles related to international affairs, exemplified by the appointment of Kim Song-nam, the head of the party's international affairs department, as a newly appointed secretary.

This significant leadership reshuffle seems to aim at fostering a generational transition and reinforcing the framework of Kim Jong-un's governance and the ruling party's oversight, according to the Seoul official.

Party organization secretary Jo Yong-won, known to be a close aide of Kim, retained his position on the presidium of the party politburo but was removed from his role as secretary.

This change likely paves the way for Jo's potential appointment as chairman of the standing committee of North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly after the earlier removal of Choe Ryong-hae from the position during the congress.

Upon the conclusion of the congress, North Korea is anticipated to establish a new parliament and consider constitutional amendments or other actions to reflect the outcomes from the party meeting.

The KCNA report indicated that the presidium of the party's politburo consists of Kim, Jo, and Premier Pak Thae-song, along with party secretaries Kim Jae-ryong and Ri Il-hwan.

Recently appointed to the Party Politburo and Central Military Commission, Kim Song-gi seems to have assumed the role of director of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army, following the exit of his predecessor Jong Kyong-thaek.

Notably, the personnel decisions did not encompass Ju-ae, Kim Jong-un's daughter, who is viewed as a potential successor to Kim.