Kim Jong Un's sister takes over North Korea's finance

According to Voice of Russia on the evening of January 14, the younger sister of young leader Kim Jong Un will coordinate financial issues in the ruling Workers' Party in North Korea, replacing her uncle Jang Song Thaek who was executed in December 2013.

That is the information given by the Korean newspaper "Chosun Ilbo" on January 14.

According to the newspaper, the North Korean leader's younger sister, Kim E Jong, has become the director of the Workers' Party's Office 54, which operated under the control of Jang Song Thaek. This department specializes in providing coal, electricity, gasoline, clothing and other essential items to the Korean People's Army.

The woman in the photo is believed to be Kim E Jong, the younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. (Photo: Kyodo)

On the same day, the South Korean Unification Ministry said on January 14 that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un nearly doubled the number of economic inspection trips in 2013, emphasizing his commitment to improving the country's economic conditions.

The ministry cited North Korean state media figures showing that Kim Jong Un made 71 public appearances related to the economy out of 209 trips he made in 2013. In 2012, he made a total of 37 public inspections of economic facilities out of 151 public appearances.

Mr Kim Jong Un has called for efforts to increase agricultural production in a country where the UN World Food Programme says the food security situation remains dire, with 84% of households experiencing borderline or poor food consumption.

According to the ministry, young leader Kim Jong Un visited military bases and appeared in public at military-related events 62 times, compared to 49 times in 2012.

The figures show that Kim Jong Un still focuses on the powerful military force of 1.1 million people - the important backbone of power he inherited after the sudden death of his father Kim Jong Il in late 2011./.

According to VNA