Kim Jong-il’s son to become an Heir
Baku, December 19 (AZERTAC). News of Kim Jong-il’s death was made public on Monday, with officials indicating that he actually died two days earlier while riding a train.
The Korean Central News Agency, North Korea’s state news agency, issued several statements on Monday. A release titled “Kim Jong Il Passes Away (Urgent)” said that he “passed away from great mental and physical strain” at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17.
A funeral for Kim Jong-il will be held in Pyongyang on 28 December and Kim Jong-un will head the funeral committee, KCNA said.
Kim Jong-un, Kim Jong-il's youngest son was named by North Korea's official news agency KCNA as the "great successor" to his father, which lauded him as "the outstanding leader of our party, army and people."
Little is known of Jong-un who is believed to be in his late 20s and was appointed to senior political and military posts in 2010.
But there will be enormous questions over how much credibility the younger Kim has, since he is only in his late 20s and has had little time to prepare for the role.
“Kim Jong-un is not yet the official heir, but the regime will move in the direction of Kim Jong-un taking center stage,” said Chung Young-Tae at the Korea Institute of National Unification. “There is a big possibility that a power struggle may happen.
“It’s likely the military will support Kim Jong-un,” he added. “Right now there will be control wielded over the people to keep them from descending into chaos in this tumultuous time.”
The White House released a statement late Sunday evening in Washington: “We are closely monitoring reports that Kim Jong Il is dead.”
At midnight on Monday, President Barack Obama spoke with Republic of Korea President Lee-Myung-bak to discuss the Korean Peninsula situation.
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