New Delhi, Feb. 28 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un gifted new sniper rifles to top government and military officials following a weeklong ruling party congress celebrating his leadership, with state media highlighting an image of his teenage daughter taking aim at a shooting range as her increasingly prominent appearances fuel speculation Kim is grooming her as a future leader.

Kim presented the rifles to senior party and military officials on Friday, calling them a sign of his "absolute trust" and gratitude for their commitment over the past five years since the last Workers' Party congress in 2021, North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency said Saturday.

The report also confirmed Kim's powerful sister, Kim Yo Jong, who in r...