DPRK's new leader becomes top military commander

PYONGYANG, Democratic People's Republic of Korea - Kim Jong-un has become the top military commander of the Korean People's Army (KPA) of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the official KCNA news agency reported on Saturday.

Chairman of China's Central Military Commission Hu Jintao on Saturday sent a message to Kim to congratulate him on assuming his duties.

In his congratulatory message, Hu said the two peoples as well as the armed forces of the two nations have enjoyed a profound traditional friendship, adding that he believed the friendly and cooperative ties between China and the DPRK would be constantly consolidated and strengthened under the new historical conditions.

The KCNA said a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) on Friday proclaimed that Kim assumed the supreme commandership of the Korean People's Army (KPA) according to a will made by his late father Kim Jong-il.

At the meeting, the Political Bureau of the WPK, the Central Committee adopted a document entitled "On Effecting a Great Surge in Building a Thriving Nation True to the Behests of the Great Leader Comrade Kim Jong-il", which says the army and people of the DPRK will carry forward and accomplish the cause of building a thriving socialist nation and the revolutionary cause of Juche under the leadership of Kim Jong-un, the KCNA said.

The document underlines the need to hold Kim Jong-un, the youngest son of Kim Jong-il, as "the only center of unity, cohesion and leadership of the WPK" and devotedly defend him politically and ideologically.

It calls upon all party members, the military and people to "turn sorrow into thousand-fold strength and courage" and struggle to "win a great fresh victory in the Juche revolution under the leadership of Kim Jong-un", according to the KCNA.

Kim Jong-un was named vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the WPK last year.

Friday's meeting discussed the joint calls of the WPK Central Committee and the Central Military Commission on marking the centenary of the birth of Kim Jong-un's grandfather, Kim Il-sung, the KCNA added.

Pyongyang will issue commemorative gold and silver coins to mark the 20th anniversary of Kim Jong-il's assumption of the supreme commandership of the KPA.

Xinhua