North Korea's Workers' Party on Saturday said it will hold a meeting in September to elect new party leaders. Analysts see it as suggesting that the regime may officially start the father-to-son power transfer.
The North's official Korean Central News Agency said the country will convince a conference in September to elect "its highest leading body," without elaborating.
Citing analysts, Yonhap news agency said this year's ruling party meeting is aimed at reshuffling the organization and consolidating Kim Jong-un's position as heir, the youngest of Kim Jong-il's three sons.
The senior Kim had also inherited power from his father and North Korea's founder, Kim Il-sung, when Jong-il was named as the head of an organ under the Workers' Party in a party convention in 1980.