North Korean leader Kim Jong-il (L) walks in front of his youngest son Kim Jong-un (R) as they watch a parade to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang October 10, 2010. REUTERS/Kyodo
Posted on 11/08/2010 10:53:51 AM PST by NormsRevenge
SEOUL (Reuters) – The death of a North Korean military official and the naming of leader-in-waiting Kim Jong-un to the funeral preparation committee was jumped on by South Korean media on Monday as showing he had risen to second-in-command.
In the opaque world of North Korea, experts are forced to dissect and analyze every snippet of information -- sometimes reading between the lines, or words -- in search of the truth.
South Korean media concluded that by being named immediately after leader Kim Jong-il to the funeral committee by the North's state-run news agency KCNA, the leader's third son had been elevated to the second highest position in the secretive state.
The young Kim, known only to be in his mid to late 20s, was identified as heir apparent in September when appointed to senior political and military posts in the isolated state.
Then, he was named sixth after his father and other officials in a list of dignitaries participating at the ruling Workers' Party conference.
The latest sequence -- placing Kim ahead of the cabinet premier, the chief of general staff and the defense minister -- is the clearest signal yet that he is officially in line to take over from his ailing 68-year-old father, the South's Yonhap news agency reported.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il (L) walks in front of his youngest son Kim Jong-un (R) as they watch a parade to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang October 10, 2010. REUTERS/Kyodo
Kim Jong-un (C), youngest son of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, visits the construction site of Huichon Power Station in this picture released by the North's official KCNA news agency in Pyongyang November 4, 2010. REUTERS/KCNA
Looks like he eats good anyway.
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