North Korea has appointed Kim Jong-ho as new minister of people's security, a South Korean government publication indicated Thursday.

North Korea's leadership chart, released by South Korea's unification ministry, showed that Kim replaced Choe Pu-il, who was promoted to department director handling military affairs at the ruling Workers' Party Central Committee, in December.

The Ministry of People's Security is roughly equivalent to South Korea's National Police Agency.

No details of the new minister were known.

In 2001, North Korea's state media mentioned a man named Kim Jong-ho as vice minister of people's security while reporting a trip to Russia by then-North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, the late father of incumbent leader Kim Jong-un. It has not been confirmed whether he is the same person as the new minister. (Yonhap)