N.K. power elite ready for successor

 While its military keeps South Korea on alert by firing coastal artillery, North Korea’s power elite is taking steps to make official the status of Kim Jong-un as the country’s next Dear Leader.

The dynastical succession from his father Kim Jong-il comes with a number of formalities and propaganda as the reclusive nation is technically run by the Workers’ Party.

The Workers’ Party is expected to put 26-year-old Jong-un and his supporters on key posts at the upcoming meeting of its top representatives in early September. 

Having been chosen as Kim Jong-il’s successor early last year, Jong-un began to take part in the country’s domestic and international policies in the second half of 2009.

The young heir began running the country’s secret police agency, which oversees and therefore controls the country’s power elite, according to Cheong Seong-chang, senior fellow of the inter-Korean relations studies program at Sejong Institute.

“As the successor, Jong-un was given extralegal authority as the country’s No. 2 in command of the Workers’ Party and the military last year,” Cheong said.

“From the summer of 2009, all official reports made to Kim Jong-il went through Jong-un.”

Cheong predicted that the Workers’ Party representatives will appoint to the party’s key positions Jong-un and others who will help him tighten his grip on the country’s military and the whole society.

The North said it will convene a meeting of party representatives to elect members of the party’s “supreme leadership,” which means the party’s Central Committee.

“One of the posts Jong-un could assume is the organizational secretary of the party’s Central Committee, who wields the greatest power on the committee,” Cheong said.

Jang Song-thaek                             Kim Young-choon                          O Kuk-ryol

Woo Dong-cheuk                            Joo Sang-song                                 Kim Jong-gak