North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was named on Sunday as the “general secretary” of the ruling Workers’ Party, formerly held by his late father and grandfather, The Associated Press reports.
The party’s ongoing congress, the first of its kind in five years, announced Kim’s new title during its sixth-day session on Sunday, said the report, which cited the official Korean Central News Agency.
A congress statement said Kim “has gloriously realized the historic mission to complete the country’s nuclear build-up plan.”
The appointment is largely symbolic as Kim already was the party’s top leader. During a 2016 party congress, he was named “party chairman,” the equivalent of “general secretary” held by his father Kim Jong Il and grandfather Kim Il Sung.
On Saturday, Kim threatened to expand his nuclear arsenal and stated that the fate of relations with the United States depends on whether it abandons its “hostile policy”.
Kim’s comments were seen as applying pressure on the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden.
Outgoing President Donald Trump tried to reached an agreement with North Korea while in office. Kim and Trump met in Hanoi in 2019 for a summit that left nuclear talks at a standstill.
The pair had met three times since June 2018 but made little progress towards denuclearization.
Since those talks broke down, North Korea has conducted several tests of ballistic missiles.
Biden, who will take office on January 20, is unlikely to hold direct meetings with Kim unless the North Korean leader takes significant denuclearization steps.