Hwang Pyong-so, the top political officer of North Korea's military, has been promoted to a member of the politburo presidium at the country's political party, making him again the North's de facto No. 2 man, Pyongyang's media reported Wednesday.

The North Korean Central Television described Hwang as doubling the posts of a member of the political bureau presidium of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK)'s central committee as well as a director of the general political bureau of the Korean People's Army in its report.

It confirmed speculation that Hwang has become the second-most powerful man in the communist regime, replacing Choe Ryong-hae, the WPK's secretary.

Their rankings have changed back and forth since May last year when North Korean leader Kim Jong-un named Hwang the military's top political officer, making him the de facto No. 2 man by replacing Choe.

But Choe restored the No. 2 post in October, less than one month after making a surprise visit to South Korea to attend the closing ceremony of the Incheon Asian Games on Oct. 4 with Hwang.

Analysts said that Hwang's promotion might have been decided when Kim presided over a meeting in February to deal with personnel reshuffling.

The political bureau presidium of the WPK central committee is a key organ in North Korea that previously consisted of the three members -- the North's leader Kim, figurehead leader Kim Yong-nam and Choe. (Yonhap)