<p>North Korea's ruling party has amended its rules to create a de facto second-in-command under leader Kim Jong Un as he looks to revamp domestic politics, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said on Tuesday.</p>.<p>Citing an unidentified source familiar with North Korea, the agency said the holder of the new post of "first secretary" would chair meetings on behalf of Kim Jong Un.</p>.<p>Kim cemented his power at a congress of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) in January, where he was elected its general secretary, taking a title last held by his late father, Kim Jong Il.</p>.<p>Now Kim wants the party to play a greater role in government, as compared to the more-military centred administration of his father, the agency added.</p>.<p>"The term 'military-first politics', a major keyword in the Kim Jong Il era, is known to have been scrapped from the preface of the party by-laws," it said.</p>.<p>In a statement, South Korea’s Unification Ministry said new party by-laws were publicized in North Korea after the January meeting. But the ministry, which is responsible for relations with the neighbouring nation, cannot disclose details, it added.</p>.<p>Kim Jong Un himself used the "first secretary" designation from 2012 to 2016.</p>.<p>The new post is the most senior of the party's seven secretaries and is likely to have been taken by Jo Yong Won of the politburo’s five-member presidium, Yonhap said.</p>.<p>Jo is considered one of Kim's closest aides, whose appointment to the presidium was reported by state media.</p>.<p>At the time of the January meeting, analysts viewed him as holding the government's No. 3 position, after Kim and Choe Ryong Hae, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly.</p>.<p>Kim Jong Un has wielded almost absolute power in North Korea's dynastic system since taking over after Kim Jong Il's death in 2011.</p>.<p>Last year a South Korean lawmaker said the country's intelligence agency believed that Kim's sister, Kim Yo Jong, was serving as his "de facto second-in-command" but had not necessarily been designated his successor.</p>.<p>Kim has increasingly engaged with party members this year, particularly the cell secretaries, who are responsible for groups numbering up to 30 grassroots members each.</p>
<p>North Korea's ruling party has amended its rules to create a de facto second-in-command under leader Kim Jong Un as he looks to revamp domestic politics, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said on Tuesday.</p>.<p>Citing an unidentified source familiar with North Korea, the agency said the holder of the new post of "first secretary" would chair meetings on behalf of Kim Jong Un.</p>.<p>Kim cemented his power at a congress of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) in January, where he was elected its general secretary, taking a title last held by his late father, Kim Jong Il.</p>.<p>Now Kim wants the party to play a greater role in government, as compared to the more-military centred administration of his father, the agency added.</p>.<p>"The term 'military-first politics', a major keyword in the Kim Jong Il era, is known to have been scrapped from the preface of the party by-laws," it said.</p>.<p>In a statement, South Korea’s Unification Ministry said new party by-laws were publicized in North Korea after the January meeting. But the ministry, which is responsible for relations with the neighbouring nation, cannot disclose details, it added.</p>.<p>Kim Jong Un himself used the "first secretary" designation from 2012 to 2016.</p>.<p>The new post is the most senior of the party's seven secretaries and is likely to have been taken by Jo Yong Won of the politburo’s five-member presidium, Yonhap said.</p>.<p>Jo is considered one of Kim's closest aides, whose appointment to the presidium was reported by state media.</p>.<p>At the time of the January meeting, analysts viewed him as holding the government's No. 3 position, after Kim and Choe Ryong Hae, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly.</p>.<p>Kim Jong Un has wielded almost absolute power in North Korea's dynastic system since taking over after Kim Jong Il's death in 2011.</p>.<p>Last year a South Korean lawmaker said the country's intelligence agency believed that Kim's sister, Kim Yo Jong, was serving as his "de facto second-in-command" but had not necessarily been designated his successor.</p>.<p>Kim has increasingly engaged with party members this year, particularly the cell secretaries, who are responsible for groups numbering up to 30 grassroots members each.</p>