Kim Kyong-hui, the elder sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, sat with the Korean leaders during the Lunar New Year celebration.

North Korean state media posted pictures showing Kim Kyong-hui sitting near leader Kim Jong-un today, watching a performance to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Pyongyang.

This is her first appearance since 2013, after her husband Jang Song-thaek, was executed later that year. Mr. Jang, considered the second most powerful person in North Korea, was convicted on several charges, including treason and corruption. Kim Kyong-hui and his wife were once powerful power duo in North Korean politics, behind Kim Jong-un, when he was in power at the end of 2011.

State media read Kim Kyong-hui's name after Choe Ryong-hae, who is second in North Korea. Mr. Choe, Vice Chairman of the Korean State Council, was approved to chair the Supreme People's Council in April 2019.

"It shows that Kim Kyong-hui is still used, or at least has a behind-the-scenes influence," said Oliver Hotham, senior editor at NK News, a North Korea-based information tracking organization. Seoul, South Korea, said.

According to Hotham, many North Korean observers believe that Kim Kyong-hui had to live in exile or be tried after her husband's death. So the fact that she appeared next to the leader after 6 years was really a surprise. Kim may have been given an important new position of economic or political adviser to Kim Jong-un.

Kim Jong-un is facing a complicated internal and international situation, when nuclear negotiations with the US stalled, international economic sanctions were still tightened.