The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Discussions on raising age for free subway rides gain momentum

  • 3

    2-year work experience prerequisite lifted for foreign shipyard welders

  • 5

    US reaffirms nuclear security assurances to South Korea

  • 7

    Families of Itaewon victims on collision course with Seoul City

  • 9

    William Franklin Sands' diplomatic and undiplomatic views of late Joseon

  • 11

    Will KT, POSCO replace CEOs as Shinhan, Woori did?

  • 13

    Korea as sublime, strange, and familiar

  • 15

    TXT, Le Sserafim top Oricon album and singles chart

  • 17

    Chinese spy balloon 'transits' Latin America after first craft flies over US

  • 19

    Blinken scraps rare China trip over alleged spy balloon

  • 2

    INTERVIEWTati Gabrielle, actress of Korean, African-American descent, feels proud of her heritage

  • 4

    Families of Itaewon crowd stampede victims clash with police over installation of memorial altar

  • 6

    China expresses 'strong dissatisfaction' over US shooting down balloon

  • 8

    Opposition party takes to streets to protest prosecution probes into leader

  • 10

    Korean American Rep. Young Kim named chair of House Indo-Pacific subcommittee

  • 12

    US remains committed to using full range of capabilities to defend S. Korea: Blinken

  • 14

    US shoots down suspected Chinese spy balloon with a single missile

  • 16

    Wang Yi urges US to 'avoid misjudgment' over balloon controversy

  • 18

    President Yoon at odds with politician who helped him win election

  • 20

    Musk didn't defraud investors with 2018 Tesla tweets

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
North Korea
Mon, February 6, 2023 | 22:49
Demotion of North Korean leader's sister raises questions over her status
Posted : 2021-01-11 15:07
Updated : 2021-01-11 15:07
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Kim Yo-jong / Korea Times file
Kim Yo-jong / Korea Times file

The demotion of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's powerful sister at an ongoing party congress is raising questions over whether it signals any change in her status in the top echelons of power.

During the sixth-day session of the party's eighth congress in Pyongyang on Sunday, Kim Yo-jong, the leader's younger sister, was not listed as a member nor as an alternate member of the party's politburo, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Her absence on the politburo list drew a sharp contrast with South Korean intelligence authorities' assessment that the younger Kim is "the de facto No. 2 leader" steering overall state affairs.

The National Intelligence Service made the assessment during a closed-door parliamentary briefing in August, with a prediction that she would be elevated to a higher party post in the rare congress, according to lawmakers.

Observers said that it is premature to determine where Kim Yo-jong stands in the top party echelons based on the recent reshuffle, given her pedigree and the great trust the leader places in her.

Kim Yo-jong emerged from the shadows in 2018 as she accompanied her brother and the country's leader at three inter-Korean summits, including the historic summit talks at the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom in April 2018.

North Korea crowns leader Kim Jong-un as party's general secretary
North Korea crowns leader Kim Jong-un as party's general secretary
2021-01-11 10:46  |  North Korea

She also gained global attention leading the North Korean delegation to Seoul at the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Kim has handled inter-Korean affairs as first vice director of the Workers' Party Central Committee since late 2019. In April 2020, she was reappointed as an alternate member of the politburo.

She received global spotlight once again last year when leader Kim's prolonged absence from public view sparked rumors about his health and speculation that she could take over if the leader is incapacitated.

She was also heavily involved in cutting inter-Korean communication lines and blowing up an inter-Korean liaison office in June in anger over leafleting campaign by South Korean activists.

She has also released several crucial statements under her name regarding the United States and South Korea, reinforcing the notion that she holds significant sway over external policy issues.

Observers say that regardless of her position in the ruling party, her political role is likely to remain unchanged as she appears to have undertaken a prominent role in state affairs, including inter-Korean affairs, and is family of the North Korean leader.

"Kim Yo-jong can always be appointed as an alternate member or member of the political bureau when Kim Jong-un decides to do so, and her official status can be suddenly elevated like in the case of Jo Yong-won as she regularly assists leader Kim in his public activities," Cheong Seong-chang, a senior researcher at the Sejong Institute, said.

They also point out the possibility that the North could introduce a new agency and place the younger Kim in a key position.

Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, pointed out that Kim's path of promotions is "not linear."

"She comes in and out of prominence and her title tends not to match her importance. She is a confidant and image consultant for her brother as well as a trusted pair of eyes and ears embedded in the North Korean elite," he said in a comment sent to reporters.

All eyes are also on the promotion of Jo Yong-won, a senior party official who was often spotted accompanying the leader during his field trips last year, to a member of the presidium of the political bureau. The position is held by only five people in the North including leader Kim. (Yonhap)



 
Top 10 Stories
12-year work experience prerequisite lifted for foreign shipyard welders 2-year work experience prerequisite lifted for foreign shipyard welders
2Families of Itaewon victims on collision course with Seoul City Families of Itaewon victims on collision course with Seoul City
3President Yoon at odds with politician who helped him win election President Yoon at odds with politician who helped him win election
49 fishermen, including 2 Vietnamese, missing in boat incident 9 fishermen, including 2 Vietnamese, missing in boat incident
5LG publishes Korea's first group-level net zero report LG publishes Korea's first group-level net zero report
6[VIDEO] Filipina K-pop idol and K-drama actress react to stereotypes about the Philippines VIDEOFilipina K-pop idol and K-drama actress react to stereotypes about the Philippines
7Conflict reignites over relocation of POSCO Holdings to Pohang Conflict reignites over relocation of POSCO Holdings to Pohang
8FSC approves security token transactions in Korea FSC approves security token transactions in Korea
9Hyundai Motor's technology helps team become WTCR double champion Hyundai Motor's technology helps team become WTCR double champion
10Tasks lie ahead for Woori's next chairman nominee picked amid controversy Tasks lie ahead for Woori's next chairman nominee picked amid controversy
Top 5 Entertainment News
1[INTERVIEW] Tati Gabrielle, actress of Korean, African-American descent, feels proud of her heritage INTERVIEWTati Gabrielle, actress of Korean, African-American descent, feels proud of her heritage
2TXT, Le Sserafim top Oricon album and singles chart TXT, Le Sserafim top Oricon album and singles chart
3Decoding success factors of NewJeans: How is it different? Decoding success factors of NewJeans: How is it different?
4Reclusive fashion icon Martin Margiela makes comeback as artist with eerie wonderland of human bodies Reclusive fashion icon Martin Margiela makes comeback as artist with eerie wonderland of human bodies
5The Boyz member Hyunjae apologizes for wearing hat with Rising Sun flag design The Boyz member Hyunjae apologizes for wearing hat with Rising Sun flag design
DARKROOM
  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

  • World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

    World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group