DPRK's Kim Jong-un elected first chairman of NDC

Kim Jong-un, current leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), waves during the unveiling ceremony of bronze statues of DPRK founder Kim Il-sung and late leader Kim Jong-il in Pyongyang in this photo taken by Kyodo April 13, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

PYONGYANG - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) leader Kim Jong-un has been elected first chairman of the National Defense Commission, official news agency KCNA reported Friday.

The election came during the fifth session of the 12th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA), where delegates also venerated late leader Kim Jong-il as eternal chairman of the powerful commission, the agency said.

"The fifth session of the 12th Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK elected Kim Jong-un, first secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, supreme commander of the Korean People's Army and supreme leader of the WPK and people of the DPRK, as first chairman of the National Defence Commission (NDC) of the DPRK," the KCNA said in a news alert.

Other issues discussed in the session at the Mansudae Assembly Hall included "revising and supplementing the Socialist Constitution of the DPRK," assessing the work of the cabinet in 2011 and setting its tasks for 2012, reviewing the 2011 national budget and developing the 2012 national budget, among others.

The SPA is the supreme power organ of the DPRK. It holds the highest position and authority of the country and exercises legislative power. The parliamentary session is usually held annually.

At the Fourth Conference of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) on Wednesday, Kim Jong-un was elected first secretary of the WPK and Kim Jong-il was venerated as eternal general secretary of the party.

Also during the WPK conference, Kim Jong-un was appointed chairman of the party's Central Military Commission. He became vice chairman of the commission during the previous WPK conference on Sept 28, 2010.