KIM YO JONG'S POLITICAL STATUS IN THE NORTH

[Anchor Lead]

Top North Korean official Kim Yo-jong had earlier warned to blow up the inter-Korean liaison office. But During the Pyeongchang Olympics, she visited South Korea as a special envoy of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, serving as a messenger of peace. In just 2 years, she is now spearheading confrontation. We look at how her political status and role has changed in the past years.

[Pkg]

February 2018. A senior North Korean delegation arrives at Incheon International Airport. Attention is immediately drawn to Kim Jong-un's younger sister Kim Yo-jong, a ranking ruling party official. Her profile was well pronounced by her visit to South Korea's presidential office and how she was treated by other senior officials in the delegation.

[Soundbite] "How do you do. (It was quite chilly yesterday.) Thanks to your hospitality, I had a comfortable day. Thank you."

Kim Yo-jong delivered a letter from the regime's leader. In later public appearances, she always tended to her brother and grabbed the spotlight. However her attitude begins to change since the collapse of the Hanoi summmit. After Pyongyang test fired a super large rocket launcher in March, she issued the first ever statement in her own name, criticizing Seoul for expressing concerns over the North's action.

[Soundbite] JEONG SEONG-JANG(SEJONG INSTITUTE) : "She had the power as the second highest ranking official but since this year, her influence further advanced in concrete policy decisions."

In recent days, the sister has been at the vanguard of various statements issued by North Korea. She even went on to swiftly implement threats made against the South.

[Soundbite] KO YOUNG-HWAN(FORMER N. KOREAN DIPLOMAT) : "Language such as "her order" and "she is in charge" implies she is overseeing a wide spectrum of state affairs. It's the first time in N. Korea's third generation succession of regime that power is granted to someone other than the leader."

Regarding her remarks about military command and control, some observers speculate Kim Yo-jong may have obtained the status of successor to her brother.