Kim Jong Un delivers closing remarks during the final day of the 7th Party Congress on May 9, 2016 (Photo: Rodong Sinmun)
Kim Jong Un’s last observed appearance was at the third day of the 7th Party Congress on May 8, 2016
The fourth and final day of the Seventh Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea [WPK] was held on May 9 (Monday). During the final day, the WPK’s rules were revised, Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) was elected head and representative of the party, the WPK Central Committee and the WPK Central Auditing Commission and the results of the first plenary meeting of the 7th Term WPK Central Committee were announced. In attendance were members of the Party Congress Presidium, the Party Congress Secretariat and delegates and observers.
The change to the WPK rules, an amendment to the WPK Charter, involved changing the name of the WPK’s central leading officials from Secretary to Chairman and Vice Chairmen and changing the name of the WPK Secretariat to the Executive Policy Bureau. As head and representative of the WPK, Kim Jong Un will now be known as WPK Chairman, rather than 1st Secretary (per the 2012 WPK Charter revision). At provincial, city and county party committees and basic party organizations the leading officials will now be called Chairman and Vice Chairmen and the provincial, city and county Secretariat will be known as the Executive Policy Office. The 7th Party Congress also revised and supplemented chapters and clauses of the WPK Charter “as required by the developing reality.”
Members and Alternate (candidate) Members of the WPK Central Committee (Photo: NK Leadership Watch).
After the rules changes, the 7th Party Congress nominated Kim Jong Un as WPK Chairman. Supreme People’s Assembly [SPA] Presidium President Kim Yong Nam spoke about electing Jong Un to the party’s top position. According to KCNA, he said that Kim Jong Un “is the supreme leader of the WPK and Korean people who is successfully carrying forward and accomplishing the revolutionary cause of Chuch’e which was started in Mt. Paektu and has made a victorious advance. The past four years in which the WPK has the revolution with Kim Jong Un as its top leader have witnessed the continuity of the fiercest confrontation with the hostile forces and have been proud days during which the signal victories and great events to be specially recorded in the history of the nation have take place one after another despite the worst adversity. In this period, Kim Jong Un has powerfully demonstrated the dignity and national power of socialist Korea at the strongest level with his outstanding leadership and foiled the hostile forces’ vicious moves to stifle it, thus providing a solid foundation for the final victory. Unshakeable are the firm faith and will of the WPK, the army and the people of the DPRK to win every victory and glory on the road of single-mindedly upholding the idea and leadership of Kim Jong Un.” Kim Yong Nam proposed electing Jong Un WPK Chairman “reflecting the unanimous will of all Party members, service personnel of the Korean People’s Army [KPA] and people.
The fourth and final day of the Seventh Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea on May 9, 2016 (Photos: Rodong Sinmun-KCNA).
KPA General Political Department Director Hwang Pyong So, Kim Il Sung Youth League Central Committee Chairman Jon Yong Nam, General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea Central Committee Chairman Ju Yong Gil, Union of Agricultural Workers of Korea Ri Myong Gil and Kim Il Sung University President T’ae Hyong Chol, along with other party congress delegated delivered speeches which “fully support and approved the proposal on electing Kim Jong Un as chairman of the WPK.” The speakers “expressed their determinations to absolutely trust and follow Kim Jong Un only in any storm and stress and staunchly fight under the leadership of the Party Central Committee in the future, too, just as they dynamically made long journeys of the revolution following the great leaders. Kim Jong Un was elected WPK Chairman.
(Photos: Rodong Sinmun-KCNA).
According to KCNA, the decision to elect Kim Jong Un:
He is the supreme leader of our party and people as he is guiding the revolutionary cause of Chuch’e only to victory while demonstrating before the whole world the dignity and might of Kim Il Sung‘s (Kim Il-so’ng) nation and Kim Jong Il‘s (Kim Cho’ng-il) Korea with his outstanding idea, extraordinary leadership and noble virtue.
He opened a new chapter for immortalizing President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il to give steady continuity to the revolutionary history of the great leaders on this land, clearly indicating the true way for our party to achieve the final victory of the revolution by regarding it as the supreme program to model the whole society on Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism.
Under his guidance the monolithic leadership system of the party has been firmly established throughout the party and society and the single-minded unity of the party and the revolutionary ranks have been consolidated, registering signal successes one after another in all fields including politics, military affairs, economy and culture.
The dignity and national power of So’ngun (military-first) Korea have been demonstrated at the highest level despite the worst adversity and the Mallima era when prosperity is being achieved by racing against time in the spirit of self-reliance and self-development, a great heyday in creation and construction, is being ushered in on the land of the country. This reality is the precious fruition of the great leadership of Kim Jong Un.
He aroused the whole party, the entire army and all the people to the 70-day campaign of loyalty and led them to make unprecedented, miraculous achievements, making sure that the Seventh Congress of the Party is glorified as glorious one of victors.
The report on the review of the work of the Party Central Committee made by him at the congress serves as an immortal banner clearly indicating the bright way for our Party and the developing revolution to follow and a great program that paves an everlasting path of the Chuch’e revolution.
Our army and people who have dynamically advanced along the road of independence, So’ngun (military-first) and socialism under his invincible guidance keenly realized that eternal victory of the WPK and rosy future of the great Paektusan (Mt. Paektu) nation lie in following him.
Absolute is the prestige of Kim Jong Un boundlessly respected and praised by our people and progressive mankind.
The Seventh Congress of the WPK decides to elect Kim Jong Unas chairman of the WPK reflecting the unanimous will and desire of all Party members, service personnel and people.
Then, the central leadership organ was elected. The 7th Party Congress elected Kim Jong Un a member of the Party Central Committee, a member of the WPK Political Bureau and its Presidium (standing committee), chairman of the Party Central Military Commission “according to the rules of the WPK and the rules of the election of the supreme leadership organ of the WPK.”
(Photos: Rodong Sinmun-KCNA)
The 7th Party Congress elected the 7th Term WPK Central Committee (or 7th Central Committee). 129 regular (full) members and 106 alternate (candidate) members of the WPK Central Committee were elected “with unanimous approval of the delegates.” The 7th Party Congress then elected 15 members to the 7th Term WPK Central Auditing Commission (or 7th Central Auditing Commission).
The 7th Party Congress was then briefed about the first plenary meeting (plenum) of the 7th Term WPK Central Committee at which Presidium, Members and Alternates were elected to the WPK Political Bureau, the Vice Chairmen of the WPK were elected, the Exectuvie Policy Bureau was established and organized and the Party Central Military Commission was organized. The 7th Party Congress also learned of the appointment of WPK Central Committee Department Directors and the editor of Rodong Sinmun, as well as the election of members of the Central Control Commission.
Then an appeal from the 7th Party Congress “Let us make all-out charge for the complete victory of socialism by launching the Mallima speed campaign” was announced. Kim Jong Un delivered closing remarks. According to KCNA, the 7th Party Congress was “a significant grand assembly as it marked a historic watershed in the sacred drive to accomplish the great cause of Paektu under the banner of Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism.”
Filed under: 2016 Strategic Rhetoric, 7th Party Congress, Central Auditing Commission, Central Committee, Central Military Committee, Kim Chong-un inspections, Kim Family, Kim Jong Un Visits, Kim Jong-il, Kim Jong-un, KJI Personal Secretariat, KJI-Ko Yong Hui Family, Korean People's Army (KPA), Korean Workers' Party (KWP), May 9 Session, Organization and Guidance Department, Party elders, Political Bureau, Propaganda and Agitation Department
