North Korea's ruling party re-elects Kim Jong Un general secretary for bolstering nuclear power

SEOUL – North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party has re-elected Kim Jong Un as its general secretary during the fourth day of its party congress, state news agency KCNA reported Monday.

In its report, KCNA praised Kim for boosting the country’s international prestige, creating a favorable environment for its revolutionary goals, and transforming the military “into an elite and powerful army.”

The agency also highlighted that under Kim’s leadership, “the war deterrence of the country with the nuclear forces as its pivot has been radically improved.”

During the congress, members of the party Central Committee were elected, and revisions to the party rules were adopted, though KCNA did not provide details on the changes.

The ninth Workers’ Party Congress, typically held every five years over several days, opened on Thursday. South Korea is closely monitoring the meetings for any indications of new domestic or foreign policy directions.

-Reporting by Jack Kim; Editing by Diane Craft/Reuters