'Great Successor' Named New Leader of N. Korea

(Newsroom America) -- The late Kim Jong-Il's youngest son, "Great Sucessor" Kim Jong-eun, was named the next leader of N. Korea, though he may be more of a figurehead than an actual leader, some analysts said.

The naming of the younger Kim came during a solemn television broadcast Monday that sang the praises of his 70-year-old father, who died Saturday of a heart attack, according to reports.

"He worked day and night for socialist construction and the happiness of people, for the union of country and modernisation. He left us so suddenly," said the broadcaster, teary-eyed.

The elder Kim was known as a ruthless leader who pursued nuclear weapons while millions starved in his country. His son, 28, is inexperienced, however, and that could prove destabilizing as the nation continues to buckle under the weight of sanctions, starvation and power cuts, the Financial Times reported.

China, the North's closest ally, expressed confidence that North Korean people would “unify around the Korean Workers’ Party, and under the leadership of Comrade Kim Jong-eun, turn their anguish into strength."

Japan, meanwhile, stepped up the alert status of its coast guard, while South Korea placed its military on its highest footing.

The elder Kim designated his son as his successor last year, making him a four-star general though he studied in Switzerland and never served in the military.

© 2011 Newsroom America.

Newsroom America Twitter Feed