Kim Jong-un |
Ailing North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's heir apparent, Kim Jong-un, has been appointed as acting defense chief, Yonhap said Saturday citing a Japanese newspaper.
Mainichi Shimbun said Jong-un, Kim Jong-il's youngest son, has been working as "acting chief" of North Korea's most powerful National Defense Commission, citing multiple individuals "close to the North Korean leadership." It, however, didn't reveal names.
The "acting chairmanship" of the National Defense Commission is not an official post, but it supports the work of the chairman, it said. Currently, Kim Jong-il is the chairman.
The new move is seen as Jong-un's solidifying his designation as heir.
Earlier this month, South Korea's National Intelligence Service has confirmed that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il designated his third and youngest son, Jong-un, as his successor shortly after the country's second nuclear test.
An unnamed source told the Japanese newspaper that "no doubt, Jong-un appears to be picked by the general (Kim Jong-il)," adding Jong-un's assumption of the post "means that he becomes the chief of the commission in case something happens to the general."
"General" is a term, often used by North Koreans to honorifically address Kim Jong-il.
Very little is known about the 26-year-old son, who is believed to have been schooled in Switzerland.
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