A glimpse of Kim Jong-un making the rounds?

Chosun Ilbo reports that South Korean intelligence services spotted a young-looking one-star general walking behind North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in images taken during tours, and speculate it may be the elusive heir apparent Kim Jong-un.

An intelligence officer said, "In the process of closely scrutinizing photos and video images... we twice or three times spotted a young man in his mid- or late 20s in a one-star general's uniform escorting Kim, but it's unclear who he is because their definition is poor and the images are small."

He added the young man "could be" Kim Jong-un, or a son of another senior official. But he added it was "most unlikely" that a mere bodyguard would wear a general's insignia.

A senior government official said Kim junior is believed to be working at the Administrative Department of the National Defense Commission, North Korea's supreme power organ. "But we don't know whether he has any rank or position within the military. If the story about Kim Jong-un being the heir apparent is founded, he is apparently learning how to control and supervise the military under the military-first doctrine."