North Korea's Labor Party Prepares 'Deputy' For Kim Jong-un

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. (Wikimedia Commons/Kremlin.ru)

JAKARTA - North Korea's ruling Labor Party is preparing new rules regarding the post of "deputy" for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, as he plans to change the domestic political landscape.

Later, this new position will be de facto under Kim Jong-un who, according to a Yonhap News Agency source as reported by Reuters, called the position "first secretary".

The source close to North Korea said the first secretary would later have the authority to preside over the meeting on behalf of Kim Jong-un.

Kim Jong-un strengthened his power at the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) Congress in January. Kim was then appointed general secretary of the party, a title previously used by his late father Kim Jong-il.

Kim Jong-un himself used the term 'first secretary' from 2012 to 2016. The source said Kim wanted the party to play a bigger role in government, compared to his father's more military-centric government.

"The term 'military-first politics', a key buzzword in the Kim Jong-il era, is known to have been removed from the preface to party regulations", the source said.

In a statement, South Korea's Unification Ministry said new regulations were published in North Korea after the January meeting. However, the ministry in charge of relations with the neighboring country could not disclose details, he added.

Meanwhile, the person who is said to be filling the new position is the most senior of the seven party secretaries, namely Jo Yong-won who is also a member of the presidium of the party's politburo. Jo is considered one of Kim's closest aides, whose appointment to the presidium was reported by state media.

At the time of the January meeting, analysts viewed him as the No. 3 government, after Kim Jong-un and Choe Ryong Hae, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly.

Kim Jong Un has held near-absolute power in North Korea's dynastic system since taking over after Kim Jong Il's death in 2011.

For information, last year a South Korean lawmaker revealed the country's intelligence agency believed Kim's sister, Kim Yo-jong, served as the "de facto second leader", but had not necessarily been appointed as her successor.

This year, Kim Jong-un has become increasingly involved with party activities, especially with party cell secretaries in charge of groups of up to 30 members each.