N.K. leader's youngest son to acquire parliamentary post: sources

BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Yonhap) -- The North Korean leader's youngest son, Kim Jong-un,
has registered as a candidate for the upcoming parliamentary elections, informed
sources said Thursday, in what could be a decisive step toward power if
confirmed.

After the March 8 vote, North Korea will officially promote Jong-un, who turned
26 in January, as the successor of leader Kim Jong-il, said the sources in
Beijing, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
Kim Jong-un's registration "has been confirmed," one of the sources said, adding
that "it means the process of a power transfer is now fully in the works."
North Korea's election for the Supreme People's Assembly is a direct election,
but once one receives candidacy from the Workers' Party, he or she is sure to be
elected with 100 percent voter approval. Pyongyang announces the list of its new
lawmakers after the election.
Cheong Seong-chang, a specialist on North Korean succession at the independent
Sejong Institute, said Kim Jong-un's registration, if confirmed, will accelerate
the succession process. The son will likely also be elected as a member in the
National Defense Commission, the backbone of the North's 1.2-million-strong
military chaired by his father, he said.
"A lawmaker's post has no power, but it is symbolically significant in that the
post is given to those who are considered important contributors to the party and
the nation," Cheong said.
"For the North Korean power elite, it's essential to hold a lawmaker's post in
addition to other high positions," he said.
Speculation of succession has mounted amid lingering skepticism about the
leader's health. The North's parliament bypassed its election in autumn, and Kim
Jong-il did not appear in an important party anniversary in September amid
reports he had a stroke in August.
Kim, who turned 67 on Monday, appeared to have considerably recovered in recent
weeks, but concerns about his health refuse to subside.
Intelligence sources told Yonhap last month that Kim, apparently driven by
concerns over his health, named Kim Jong-un as his successor on Jan. 8, the son's
birthday.
The Mainichi Shimbun, a Japanese daily, also said this week that the youngest son
has been selected.
The current leader was nominated as successor three days before his 32nd birthday
in 1974 and officially took over after his father, Kim Il-sung, died in 1994,
according to Seoul experts.
State-run media in the North have recently emphasized the themes of "bloodline"
and "inheritance."
hkim@yna.co.kr
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