Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —
Supreme Leader North Korea, Kim Jong-un, raised his younger sister, Kim Yo Jong, as a member of the Foreign Affairs Commission (SAC) on Thursday (20/9).
The commission is the highest government body in North Korea and the appointment is the most senior position currently held by Kim Yo Jong.
Kim Yo Jong’s appointment took place when his brother was carrying out a reshuffle of officials in the commission which had been approved by the Supreme People’s Assembly.
Kim Jong-un sacked at least nine members of the North’s Foreign Affairs Commission, including the agency’s vice president, Pak Pok Ju, and a senior female diplomat, Choe Son Hui.
Choe is a rare woman to hold important positions in North Korea. He became one of the North Korean diplomats who played a key role in negotiations with the United States so far.
Official newspaper Rodong Sinmun contains portraits of eight people appointed by Kim Jong-un to the commission. Kim Yo-jong was the only woman among the officials.
Quoted AFP, Kim Yo Jong’s role in North Korea’s hierarchy has become increasingly prominent in recent years.
The first appearance of Kim Yo Jong occurred at the Pyongchang Winter Olympics in February 2018.
For the first time, Kim Jong-un has sent his younger brother to represent North Korea’s leader in an international arena.
Since then, Kim Yo Jong has been diligently accompanying his brother in a series of important meetings, including when Kim Jong-un met for the first time with the then US president, Donald Trump, in the same year.
Kim Yo Jong has also been increasingly diligent in issuing statements representing the North Korean government lately.
Many analysts consider Kim Yo Jong to be Kim Jong-un’s future successor to the throne. The woman in her 30s looks very close to her brother.
Both had attended school in Switzerland.
In addition to being a member of the SAC committee, Kim Yo Jong also serves as deputy department director of the Labor Party Central Committee.
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