North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been elected as general secretary of the ruling Workers’ Party

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was given a new title, ‘general secretary’ of the ruling Workers’ Party, a post held by his late father and grandfather, state media reported Monday.

The appointment is largely symbolic, apparently aimed at bolstering his authority amid growing economic challenges at home.

The party’s ongoing congress, the first in kind in five years, announced Kim’s new title during its sixth-day session on Sunday.