Kim presented the rifles to senior party and military officials on Friday, calling them a sign of his “absolute trust” and gratitude for their commitment over the past five years since the last Workers’ Party congress in 2021, North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said Saturday. State media photos showed Kim Yo Jong and other top officials aiming the rifles handed out by Kim Jong Un at a shooting range. The party congress, which concluded Wednesday in Pyongyang after seven days, is North Korea’s most significant political event, held every five years since 2016, and a carefully choreographed spectacle glorifying Kim’s leadership before thousands of delegates. South Korean officials and experts closely monitored the congress for signs Kim was preparing to extend the family’s dynastic rule to a fourth generation by cementing his daughter as successor. Earlier this month, South Korea’s spy agency said it assessed Kim Jong Un was close to designating her as heir.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 28, 2026 11:48 UTC