[Dawn] A senior North Korean official has given the first public confirmation that the youngest son of veteran leader Kim Jong-Il will succeed his father, The Associated Press reported Friday.Yang Hyong-Sop confirmed the eventual ascent to power of Kim Jong-Un in an interview in Pyongyang with AP's television affiliate APTN, the US news agency reported.
The reported remarks by Yang, a leading ruling party member, marked the first time that a North Korean official has spoken openly about what will be the nuclear-armed nation's second dynastic succession.
"Our people take pride in the fact that they are blessed with great leaders from generation to generation," The Associated Press quoted Yang as saying in the interview.
"Our people are honoured to serve the great President Kim Il-Sung and the great leader Kim Jong-Il," he added. "Now we also have the honour of serving young General Kim Jong-Un."
Jong-Un, believed aged about 27, was last week appointed a four-star general and given powerful party posts, apparently confirming his status as leader-in-waiting to his ageing and ailing father.
Yang is a member of the political bureau of the central committee of the Workers' Party and vice president of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, the country's parliament.
Kim Jong-Il took over from his own father and founding president Kim Il-Sung, who died in 1994.
The current leader, now 68, suffered a stroke two years ago and also reportedly suffers kidney problems, making a second succession more pressing.
But the next leader remains a mystery to the outside world.
Official media in the secretive state had never mentioned his name until last week, when it reported his promotions and carried the first-ever photograph of the portly youth.
Since the landmark party conference on September 28 which promoted Jong-Un, state media have reported two public appearances by father and son -- at a military exercise and at a concert.
The North is planning a massive military parade this Sunday to mark a party anniversary -- an event seen by South Korea as linked to the succession process.
The South's Yonhap news agency said it would be the country's biggest ever military parade, involving 20,000 troops plus missiles, tanks and other weaponry.
The agency, quoting sources, said 100,000 civilians would stage a colourful rally.
It said fireworks have been imported from China for an evening gala along the banks of the Taedong river, which bisects the showpiece capital Pyongyang.
Seoul's Defence Minister Kim Tae-Young said Monday the North appears to be using the 65th anniversary of the ruling party's founding to celebrate "the formation of a succession platform" for Jong-Un.
The minister said about 15,000 soldiers have been deployed near Pyongyang for the occasion.
The impoverished nation of 24 million struggles to feed its people, with one third of young children stunted by malnutrition according to the UN children's fund.
Its official news agency said Friday the capital was in festive mood, with art, photo and book exhibitions held to commemorate the impending anniversary.
Crowds are flocking to museums to learn about the party's "glorious history" and visiting a giant statue of Kim Il-Sung to lay floral tributes, it said.
Streets are decorated with flags and placards reading "Iron-willed Party" and "Invincible Party".