Kim Jong-un promotes sister to politburo
Kim Jong-un, the North Korean dictator, has appointed his sister to the politburo, the most powerful body in the isolated regime's ruling party.
28-year-old Kim Yo-jong, who was in January subjected to a US Treasury blacklist for North Korea's human rights abuses, will replace Mr Kim's aunt, Kim Kyong-hee, who is believed to be seriously ill.
In an address on Saturday to his ruling Workers' Party, the North Korean leader also underlined his commitment to developing nuclear weapons, despite mounting from pressure from the US to back down.
Mr Kim, who is chairman of the party, accused the US of trying to "completely stifle the sovereignty of North Korea" by "cooking up" sanctions resolutions in the United Nations and of mobilising "vassal forces" against Pyongyang.
He added that the geopolitical situation in north-east Asia showed that the regime has been "absolutely right" to push ahead with the creation of more powerful nuclear weapons and that it should "keep to this road in the future", North Korea's KCNA news agency reported.
US President Donald Trump remained unconciliatory on Saturday, saying in a series of tweets that he does not rule out military action against North Korea and insisting that previous US administrations had failed.
"Presidents and their administrations have been talking to North Korea for 25 years, agreements made and massive amounts of money paid ... hasn't worked, agreements violated before the ink was dry, making fools of US negotiators", he wrote.
"Sorry, but only one thing will work!" There was no further elaboration. South Korea and the US have increased monitoring of the activities of the North Korean military out of concern that Pyongyang is planning another long-range missile test to mark the upcoming anniversary of the founding of the North's ruling party.
The 72nd anniversary of the creation of the party is marked on October 10 and has in the past been an occasion for demonstrations of the regime's power. North Korea's first nuclear test was carried out on October 9, 2006, and was used to whip up national pride ahead of the anniversary.
The concern in Seoul and Washington was raised after Anton Morozov, a Russian politician, told media after a visit to Pyongyang that North Korea is preparing to test a long-range missile with the potential to reach the west coast of the US. Speaking in Moscow on Friday, Mr Morozov said, "In general, their mood is rather belligerent".
A military official in Seoul told Yonhap News that, "Some movements have been continuously detected from the North's missile facilities and bases.
"We are maintaining the heightened reconnaissance and preparedness posture", he said. Both South Korean and US forces have stepped up aerial monitoring of the North, along with radar surveillance designed to immediately identify a missile launch.
