Kim Jong-il promotes youngest son, grooming as successor: Report

September 20th, 2009 Obama says NKorean leader seems 'pretty healthy'WASHINGTON — The leader of reclusive North Korea is "pretty healthy and in control" of the impoverished communist country. That's the assessment President Barack Obama says he got from Bill Clinton after the former president returned to the U.S.

September 10th, 2009 Report: Kim Jong Il healthy says NKorea No. 2TOKYO — North Korean leader Kim Jong Il is in good health and has not named his third son as his successor, the communist country's No.

July 5th, 2009 Report says NKorea's Kim convalescing by the seaSEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Il has been living at an east coast villa since mid-May and is likely convalescing after reportedly suffering a stroke last year, a newspaper said Sunday citing U.S. and South Korean intelligence.

June 24th, 2009 Report: Kim Jong Il puts son as head of spy agencySEOUL, South Korea — The youngest son of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il has taken charge at the country's spy agency to prepare him to inherit the leadership of the communist nation from his father, a news report said Wednesday. Kim told senior officials of the State Security Department in March to "uphold" his 26-year-old third son, Kim Jong Un, as head of the agency, while doling out foreign-made luxury cars to the officials as gifts, Seoul's Dong-a Ilbo newspaper reported.

June 16th, 2009 TOKYO - North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's third son, Kim Jong Un, made a secret visit to Beijing last week to inform Chinese leaders that his father had chosen him as his successor, a leading Japanese daily said Tuesday. The younger Kim confirmed to Chinese President Hu Jintao that Kim Jong Il wanted him to take over as North Korea's supreme leader, Japan's Asahi Shimbun quoted Chinese and North Korean sources as saying.

June 11th, 2009 WASHINGTON - North Korea is launching missiles, testing nuclear devices and whipping up global tension so that its ailing supreme leader, Kim Jong Il, can create conditions for a "hereditary transfer of power," according to a top South Korean defence official. Many analysts say that the elder Kim, who is 67 and suffered a stroke last summer, is trying to distract North Koreans from the collapsed economy and continuing food shortages to make a security-based case for giving power to his young son.

June 10th, 2009 TOKYO - The eldest son of Kim Jong Il, North Korea's supreme leader, has confirmed that his youngest brother, Kim Jong Un, 26, will succeed their father as the Head of State. Months of rumours and speculation were confirmed today when Kim Jong Nam, the first son of the country's "Dear Leader", told Japanese television that his half-brother, Kim Jong Un had been designated heir apparent.

June 9th, 2009 Official: NKorea events potentially dangerous mixWASHINGTON — The top U.S. intelligence official says North Korea's nuclear tests and missile launches are a familiar pattern of provocation, but they take on dangerous significance with last week's designation of strongman Kim Jong Il's successor.

June 9th, 2009 Report: Oldest son speaks on NKorean successionTOKYO — A man believed to be the eldest son of North Korean ruler Kim Jong Il said in an interview aired Tuesday he thinks reports that his youngest brother will become the communist country's next leader are true. "Well, I hear the news by media.

June 2nd, 2009 SEOUL - North Korean leader Kim Jong Il has designated his youngest son Kim Jong Un as his successor, South Korean lawmakers were told Tuesday. Members of South Korea's National Assembly and intelligence community were informed by the government of "such ongoings (of succession), and that they (the North Koreans) make loyalty pledges to Kim Jong Un", opposition lawmaker Park Jie Won was quoted as saying by the Yonhap news agency.

June 2nd, 2009 Key family members of North Korea's Kim Jong IlA look at key family members of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il: — Kim Jong Un, 26: Youngest son. Studied English, French and German at International School of Bern in Switzerland.

April 26th, 2009 Report: Kim Jong Il's 3rd son assigned to postSEOUL, South Korea — The third son of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il has been assigned to the country's all-powerful National Defense Commission, a possible sign that he is being groomed as his father's successor, a news report said Sunday. Kim, who has ruled the nuclear-armed North with absolute authority since his father's death in 1994, has three known sons by two women but has not publicly anointed any of them as his successor.

April 26th, 2009 Kim Jong Il's son elevated to defense postSEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's youngest son has reportedly been named to the powerful National Defense Commission, an appointment analysts said indicates the 26-year-old is being groomed to take power. Kim Jong Un speaks English, likes basketball — and is said to look and act just like his father.

April 26th, 2009 Report: Son of NKorea's Kim given defense postSEOUL, South Korea — The third son of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il has been assigned to the country's all-powerful National Defense Commission, a possible sign that he is being groomed as his father's successor, a news report said Sunday. Kim, who has ruled the nuclear-armed North with absolute authority since his father's death in 1994, has three known sons by two women but has not publicly anointed any of them as his successor.

January 14th, 2009 SEOUL - North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has tapped his third son to be his successor and sent his nomination to the leadership of the ruling party, according to reports Thursday. The ailing communist leader 'delivered a directive around Jan 8 that he has named (Kim) Jong-un as his successor to the leadership of the Workers' Party,' South Korean news agency Yonhap quoted a well-informed source as saying.