North Korea is said to be focusing on idolizing its leader Kim Jong-un ahead of its ruling Workers' Party congress next Friday.
 
A Unification Ministry official in Seoul said Thursday that the North is expected to raise Kim’s status to that of his grandfather and father on the occasion of the seventh party congress.
 
The congress, which was last held in October 1980, is the first since Kim Jong-un rose to power.
 
Since the execution of Kim’s uncle, Jang Song-thaek, in December 2013, the North began glorifying its young leader. The North uses the expression “great” when referring to Kim as it had done with Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il. It also uses the term “supreme leader” for Kim which had previously been used only for the North’s founder and Kim’s grandfather.
 
In the upcoming party congress, the North is likely to proclaim the era of Kim Jong-un and boast his achievements during the past five years.