By Kim Se-jeong
Kim Jong-un could be the leader of North Korea by the end of this year, taking over the highest post in the regime’s Workers’ Party, a government-affiliated think-tank said Monday.
Analyzing North Korea’s New Year editorial released last Saturday, the Korea Institute of National Unification said the power succession process for the heir-apparent will continue to unfold in 2011, which will eventually make the third-son the supreme commander.
Jong-un, thought to be in his late 20s, was promoted to the ranks of four-star general and the vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers' Party in September last year during a rare party conference, a move to put the inexperienced son in line to take over the family dynasty.
The editorial stated that last year’s party congress and its result were “noticeably good political news,” which served as “a basis for continuous revolution.”
It continued that the regime would continue to uphold “juche,” or self-reliance, to prioritize the military as a tool to maintain the communist spirit, and to encourage people to defend the party’s central committee and to stay alert against foreign attacks.
Inter-Korean relations in 2010 were harmed severely by two deadly attacks on South Korea. Ironically, the editorial stressed the importance of inter-Korean dialogue and cooperation.
“People have to be the focal point, and efforts should be made to create an atmosphere for dialogue and cooperation between the two Koreas,” the statement said, which is widely viewed as the North’s tactic to engage the South so that it can obtain humanitarian aid.
One North Korean expert told the Joongang Daily that Pyongyang might also like to pursue an inter-Korean summit.
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