Reports: NKorea Kim's youngest son named successor
By JAE-SOON CHANG, Associated Press Writer Jae-soon Chang, Associated Press Writer – 22 mins ago
SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea told its diplomatic missions that Kim Jong Il's youngest son — who reportedly enjoys skiing and studied English, German and French at a Swiss school — will be the nation's next leader, a South Korean lawmaker and newspapers said Tuesday.
The secretive communist state sent the message about the 26-year-old son, Jong Un, after the nation's May 25 nuclear test, which along with a series of missile tests has greatly raised tensions in the region, the Hankook Ilbo reported.
The paper cited unnamed members of South Korea's parliamentary intelligence committee briefed by the spy agency.
Opposition lawmaker Park Jie-won, an intelligence committee member, said during a radio interview Tuesday that he was briefed by the government on the North's move and the regime is "pledging allegiance to Kim Jong Un," according to an interview transcript provided by his office.
Another mass-market paper, Dong-a Ilbo, carried a similar report, saying the North is teaching its people a song lauding the son. The paper cited unidentified sources. [more at link ...]
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