North Korean leader Kim Jong Il on Sept. 28 formally bestowed several important titles upon his youngest son, Kim Jong Un, during the first full congress of the Worker's Party of Korea (WPK) since 1966. The "Dear Leader" is putting his son in place as his successor just as he took charge after his father, Kim Il Sung, founder of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, in order to ensure that power remains in his family's hands. Kim is also promoting other key supporters and revitalizing the WPK in an effort to provide his son with a support base, balance the regime, undercut potential usurpers and ensure that the coming power transition, which may take place at least formally in 2012, goes as smoothly as possible. Kim Jong Un will now ascend to the post of general secretary of the WPK and vice chairman of the WPK's Central Military Commission, after rising to the rank of general in the Korean People's Army. The North Korean leader also promoted his sister Kim Kyong Hui to the rank of general, and placed her on the WPK Central Committee. This move both reinforces the authority of the Kim family bloodline and legitimizes the influential role of her husband, Jang Song Thaek, who has recently been rehabilitated as a top adviser to Kim Jong Il and power broker within the regime.
