North Korea's ruling party strengthens control over military
A member of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) has been appointed director of the powerful General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army.
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The move has fueled speculation that the WPK is tightening its control over the country's military.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) announced the appointment of General Kim Su-gil as director of the General Political Bureau as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected a construction site in Wonsan, a coastal city on the east coast of the country. General Kim Su-gil was among the officials who welcomed Kim Jong-un there.
The General Political Bureau is known as a powerful body in charge of personnel and control of the North Korean military leadership. It was previously headed by Kim Jong-gak, who replaced Hwang Pyong-so in February this year.
Kim Su-gil, a military man, has been chairman of the Pyongyang Municipal People's Committee since April 2014. He is best known as one of the senior North Korean officials involved in the "ousting" and execution of Jang Song-thaek - the uncle of leader Kim Jong-un - in December 2013. His return to the military shows that the ruling party has strengthened its control over the North Korean armed forces.