Kim Jong Un re-elected, gets new title as North Korea’s leader

Kim Jong Un of North Korea

Kim Jong Un has been elected as Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, state media reported on Friday.

He was elected at the first session of the 14th Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) in Pyongyang on Thursday.

Kim Jong Un also got a new title, ‘supreme representative of all the Korean people’, which was approved by special decree in February but had never been used publicly until Friday.

It is not known if the changes will be reflected in the constitution.

In a major shake-up, Choe Ryong Hae was named President of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly of North Korea, replacing Kim Yong Nam.

The holder of that position is constitutionally considered North Korea’s head of state and usually represents the country at diplomatic events.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, in a statement on Friday, congratulated Kim Jong Un, saying that China highly values its friendship with North Korea and is willing to push forward the bilateral relations.

North Korea’s relations with the US continues on an edgy path as US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the country would leave sanctions in place as it pushes for North Korean denuclearisation.