North Korea's ruling party reelects Kim Jong Un as general secretary

ISTANBUL

North Korea's ruling party has reelected Kim Jong Un as its general secretary at the ongoing party congress, state media said Monday.

Kim was reelected by the ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), which opened Thursday in Pyongyang, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported

The gathering, held every five years, is being attended by 5,000 party delegates.

"The Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea decides to elect Kim Jong Un as general secretary of the WPK in accordance with the unshakable will and unanimous desire of all the delegates, millions of party members, all the people and service personnel of the People's Army for the development of the WPK and the prosperity of the state," KCNA reported, citing a decision adopted by the congress on Sunday.

"Only Kim Jong Un can guide the trend of gigantic transformation of our cause put on an orbit of leap forward to a steady upturn without halt," party secretary Ri Il-hwan said while speaking to the congress, adding the country has successfully defied sanctions and become a "formidable" force recognized by its enemies.

Sunday's session also elected members and alternate members of the WPK Central Committee, with Kim Jong Un, Pak Thae Song, Jo Yong Won and Ri Il Hwan among the elected members.

The congress excluded Choe Ryong-hae, the 76-year-old chairman of the North Korean parliament who once served as the top military leader, from the list of party central committee members, along with other senior officials, signaling a major generational shift in leadership.

It also adopted revised party rules during the Sunday meeting, but no particular details were released.

At the end of the congress, the party is expected to adopt a decision setting new policy directions for the next five years, including on the economy, defense and diplomacy.

The congress is the highest decision-making body in North Korea.