Seoul, Feb 24 (AHN) The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Kim Yo-jong, has been promoted to department head at the ruling Workers' Party of Korea during the ongoing party congress, state media reported on Tuesday.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) published a press release from the first plenary meeting of the ninth central committee of the ruling party, naming Kim Yo-jong as one of the 17 newly elected department directors of the party's new central committee.

She was previously vice department director at the committee.

The KCNA did not reveal which party department Kim Yo-jong was appointed to head, but experts presume it might be the propaganda department where she has been serving. In her new role, she is likely to oversee inter-Korean relations or external strategies.

An official at Seoul's unification ministry said that the government is "watching closely to see whether Kim Yo-jong takes on a role handling relations with South Korea or external relations."

At the plenary meeting, she was also reelected as an alternate member of the central committee's political bureau, marking her return to the post after five years.

The plenary meeting was held the previous day as part of the ongoing party congress, which kicked off last Thursday to review policy outcomes from the previous 2021 congress and set new goals for the next five years, Yonhap news agency reported.

The session also enlarged the party's secretariat to an 11-member body from seven members, possibly adding posts for international affairs, given the appointment of Kim Song-nam, chief of the party's international affairs department, newly as a secretary.

The large-scale leadership change appears aimed at promoting a generational shift and solidifying the foundation of Kim's state leadership and the ruling party's guidance, the Seoul official said.

Party secretary for organisation Jo Yong-won, known as one of leader Kim's closest aides, retained his seat on the presidium of the party politburo but was removed as secretary.

The move is likely a step toward Jo's appointment as chairman of the standing committee of North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly after Choe Ryong-hae was relieved of the post earlier at the congress.

Following the conclusion of the congress, the North is expected to form a new parliament and pursue a constitutional revision or other measures to reflect the results from the party meeting.

The KCNA report showed the presidium of the party's politburo is composed of leader Kim, Jo and Premier Pak Thae-song, as well as party secretaries Kim Jae-ryong and Ri Il-hwan.

Having been appointed to the Party Politburo and Central Military Commission, Kim Song-gi appears to have taken over as director of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army following the departure of his predecessor, Jong Kyong-thaek.

The personnel decision did not include Ju-ae, Kim's daughter, who has been assessed as the likely heir to Kim.