North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been selected to represent a mid-western province for the upcoming party congress, a symbolic move to reaffirm his tight grip on power, the North's state broadcaster said Tuesday.

Representatives of the Workers' Party of Korea in the South Pyongan Province unanimously decided Monday to recommend their leader to a delegate to the party congress slated for early May, according to the North's Korean Central TV Broadcasting Station.

North Korea plans to convene the first party congress, the highest-level political guidance body, in more than 30 years in May, which will likely highlight Kim's one-man leadership.

The North is in the process of selecting delegates to be sent to the party event. The WPK's city and county committees have picked representatives, to be followed by a similar process to choose delegates in provincial areas.

The decision in the South Pyongan Province means that other provinces will follow suit, a symbolic move to show strong loyalty to him.

Last week, he was selected to represent the Korean People's Army for the party congress.

The congress will likely serve as a key event that will reveal the North Korean leader's policy direction in his fifth year in power. Kim inherited power following the sudden death of his father Kim Jong-il in late 2011.

Seoul's spy agency said the event is likely to be held on May 7 though Pyongyang has yet to publicly announce the date for the event. (Yonhap)