NKorea calls heir Kim head of powerful committee

PYONGYANG, North Korea, Dec 26: North Korea´s state media on Monday called Kim Jong Il´s heir the head of the ruling Workers´ Party Central Committee, which would give Kim Jong Un power over one of the country´s highest decision-making bodies more than a week after his father´s death.



The reference in a commentary by the North´s main Rodong Sinmun newspaper came as two groups of prominent South Koreans with ties to Pyongyang traveled to North Korea to pay respects to Kim Jong Il, who is being mourned by millions in his homeland. [break]



North Korean soldiers, Rodong Sinmun said, are upholding a slogan urging them to dedicate their lives to protect the committee headed by Kim Jong Un. The slogan means that Kim will likely be appointed as the party´s general secretary, one of the country´s highest positions.



North Korea is in official mourning for Kim until after a memorial Thursday. But the country is also offering hints about Kim Jong Un´s rise as ruler. North Korea began hailing him as "supreme leader" of the 1.2-million strong military over the weekend.







In this Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011 photo released by the Korean Central News Agency and distributed in Tokyo, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011, by the Korea News Service, Kim Jong Un, center, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il´s youngest known son and successor, visits at Kumsusan Memorial Palace in Pyongyang, North Korea, to pay respect to his father. At far left front is Jong Un´s uncle Jang Song Thaek. (AP)



Kim Jong Un, who is in his late 20s and was unveiled in September 2010 as his father´s choice as successor, will be the third-generation Kim to rule the communist nation of 24 million.

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