The day before North Korea’s Workers Party of Korea (WPK) is expected to elect the party’s “Supreme Leadership Body”, the decision was made, and it is speculated that he is the unofficial nominee to succeed Kim Jong-Il.
Kim Jong-Un was appointed by his father in a directive early 2009 as his heir. “Until now ... the unofficial nominee,” Choi Jin-wook, a senior analyst at the Korea Institute of National Unification, told The Korea Times.
“After the conference, he will be supported by the Party apparatus rather than just being his father’s appointee,” said Jin-wook. In order to solidify his place as his father’s the successor, analysts have expected for several months that Kim Jong-Un would be appointed to one or more high positions.
A senior South Korean intelligence source told the JoongAng Ilbo Monday, that a team was created especially to protect Kim Jong-Un within Kim Jong-Il’s guard unit, the Escot Bureau. This would indicate that preparation for a dynastic power succession in communist North Korea has begun.
“The separate protection details indicate that Kim Jong-Un has secured his position as the heir,” the source said.
The so called “historic” WPK gathering with the top delegates from throughout the nation meeting in Pyongyang is the first one in decades. North Korea has said the convention is to elect the leadership of the Workers’ Party.
JoongAng Daily reports that Kim Jong-Un will make his political debut at the meeting at his estimated age of 27.
North Korea observers have said he is too young and inexperienced to be appointed a top position and think Jang Song-thaek, Kim Jong-Il’s brother-in-law, will act as regent for some time.
Jang now holds the No. 2 position in the communist country and is serving as first vice director of the WPK, responsible for internal security.
Kim Jong-Il was introduced as his father’s successor in 1980 and became leader after Kim Il-Sung died in 1994. Kim Jong-Il is 68 years old and reportedly suffered a stroke two years ago.
