Watch FIFA World Cup 2026™

LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE starting June 12 2026

North Korea's Dear Respected Comrade leader gets a new title

North Korea's parliament awarded Kim Jong Un a new post on Wednesday, adding to a long list of titles for the young leader.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Source: AAP

Kim was made chairman of the State Affairs Commission, a new body established under a revised constitution adopted by the parliament and which replaces the powerful National Defence Commission, state media reported on Thursday.

His full title is now the Dear Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, First Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army.

Kim, believed to be in his early 30s, attended the assembly meeting on Wednesday. He also holds the rank of marshal in the North Korean military, and is more usually referred to as "our marshal" in propaganda and common parlance.

The parliament meets once or twice a year to formally approve budgets or policies set out by the ruling Workers'Party, which has increased in prominence under Kim.

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

The assembly also has the authority to grant Kim new titles or positions within North Korea's opaque leadership structure.

Kim's father, Kim Jong Il, used the National Defence Commission to project authority under his rule, which was marked by famine and a "military-first" policy of priority spending on North Korean military development.

The new State Affairs Commission appears to be made up of cadres with civilian positions, according to a list of new appointments released by state media.

Wednesday's meeting was called to implement policy aims stated in a rare Workers' Party congress in May, during which Kim Jong Un announced a five-year economic plan.

On June 22, North Korea launched two Musudan intermediate-range missiles, drawing strong condemnation from South Korea, Japan and the United States for infringing UN sanctions designed to stop Pyongyang's nuclear and missile development programmes.

North Korea referred to the missiles as a "Hwasong-10" and said the tests did not put the security of neighbouring countries at risk.


2 min read

Published

Source: Reuters


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world