As North Korea's plan to hold its politburo meeting in September is seen as an important official step of power transfer from Kim Jong-il to his son, Jong-un, people are also curious to know whether there is anyone inside the leadership who is tasked with the responsibility of building Jong-un's personality cult to present him as a competent next leader.
A scholar said there is indeed one.
Cheong Seong-chang, a North Korea specialist with the Sejong Institute, a think tank, said Han Dong-geun, a three-star general, is playing a "key role" in choreographing the propaganda activities for Jong-un, the local Chosun Ilbo said on Saturday.
"General Han Dong-guen is playing a key role in creating the atmosphere of propping up Kim Jong-un's personality cult among military officials and soldiers through ideological education classes," Cheong was quoted as saying in the article.
Cheong also said the Presidium of the Politburo has been on the forefront of the propaganda to elevate the heir's "greatness" through rallies and lectures under General Han's supervision, and the organ is playing a more major role than the Workers' Party's own propaganda department, which is supposed to play the role by default.
Cheong interpreted the reason lies in that the Presidium of the Politburo exercises a prime influence on the military and it's particularly important for the young heir, who is still in his 20s, to expand his sphere of influence on the military so as to gain its support, it said.
Together with General Han, Kim Jong-gak, the first section chief of the presidium of the Politburo, is also playing an important role in solidifying Jong-un's leadership base as he is charged with personnel appointment and structuring of the military officials, it said.
And there is another one, Ri Yong-ho, chief of the General Staff of the Korea People's Army. The two are the "closest aides to Kim Jong-un in terms of earning the military's loyalty to the heir," Cheong said in the article.