New title for Kim's successor

SEOUL: The youngest son of Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s leader has been given the title of "Brilliant Comrade", a newspaper reported on Friday, a sign that Pyongyang is preparing to name him as successor to Kim Jong-Il.

US and Republic of Korea (ROK) intelligence authorities disclosed during a meeting this week that 26-year-old Kim Jong-Un is now being referred to as "Yongmyong-han Dongji", which translates roughly as "Brilliant Comrade", ROK's mass-circulation JoongAng Ilbo newspaper reported.

Earlier this week, DPRK's main newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, said in an editorial that an important issue concerning the nation's fate and its revolution had been resolved. Cheong Seong-chang of the Sejong Institute think tank outside Seoul said this was an apparent reference to a power transfer. "It indicates that North Korea (DPRK) has resolved the succession issue," he said.