Kim re-elected chair of North Korea’s top body

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) - Kim Jong-un has been re-elected to lead North Korea’s top decision-making body, Korean media reported on Friday.

According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim was elected chair of the State Affairs Commission (SAC) of North Korea at the first session of country’s 14th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) on Thursday.

"The election of the Supreme Leader [Kim Jong-un] as chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] is the great political event of crucial historical significance," KCNA said.

The SAC was formed in 2016 after an amendment was made to the North Korean constitution, with Kim elected its first chairman the same year.

Though only three years have passed, his new five-year term would begin with the forming of the new parliament, Yonhap said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message for Kim’s re-election, emphasizing the friendly ties between the two neighbors, the report added.

It added that Kim Jong-un was "making a new history" of remodeling society with "outstanding ideological and theoretical wisdom."

The SPA also elected the country’s new Prime Minister replacing Pak Pong-ju with Kim Jae-ryong, who is a senior member of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea.