Wednesday, August 18, 2010

North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un to be recognized as Kim Jong-il’s political heir in September?


Kim Jong-Un is widely believed to be being groomed to take over at the helm from his 68-year-old father, Kim Jong-il, who suffered a stroke in August 2008. Now North Korea is reportedly making posters and badges with pictures of Kim Jong-Un, as it builds up a personality cult around the leader’s likely successor.

A state art studio began making large numbers of portraits and badges bearing pictures of the son in April, possibly as part of preparations for the death of Jong-Il, the Seoul-based Open Radio for North Korea reported.

Some analysts say the North will probably designate Kim Jong-Un as his father’s political heir when it convenes a meeting of key communist party delegates in September, which will be only the third such gathering since the communist state was founded in 1948. It is seen as the most important party event since 1980, when a convention of all party members made public Kim Jong-il’s status as the eventual successor to his father and founding President Kim Il-sung. Similar badges were issued for Kim Jong-il’s succession and for his father.

Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported two weeks ago that the son is expected to be elected as a member of the ruling party’s central committee at the meeting next month.

[The Telegraph]

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