PYONGYANG - Newly appointed top military commander of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong-un began leading the army long ago, official news agency KCNA said Saturday.

The new top military commander has all the qualifications and traits befitting a statesman and military strategist of modern times, and "has wisely led the army, accompanying Kim Jong-il in inspecting army units," the KCNA said in an article.

"His assumption of the supreme commandership provides sure guarantee for glorifying the great exploits performed by Kim Jong-il for the army building and carrying forward the cause of the Songun (military-first) revolution generation after generation," the new agency said.

According to the KCNA, Kim Jong-un's assumption of the supreme commandership of the Korean People's Army (KPA) was a significant historical event.

"That reflected the unanimous will of the servicepersons and people to defend the dignity of the country and the red flag of the revolution with gun barrels in hands under the leadership of the supreme leader of the DPRK party and people Kim Jong-un at the behest of late leader Kim Jong-il," the agency said.

A meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea on Friday proclaimed that Kim assumed the supreme commandership of the KPA according to a will made by his late father Kim Jong-il on Oct 8, the KCNA said.