A senior North Korean official has given the first public confirmation that the youngest son of Korean dictator, Kim Jong-il, will succeed his father.
The closed communist state is this weekend expected to hold the biggest military parade in its history in part to honour the rise of Kim Jong-un.
Ruling party member Yang Hyong-sop told the APTN news agency that his people were honoured to serve Kim Jong-un.
The ABC reports the comments are the first public confirmation by a regime official that Kim Jong-il's youngest son will succeed his ailing father.
Jong-un, who is believed to be aged about 27, was last week appointed a four-star general.
Up to 20,000 North Korean troops are expected to take part in a massive military parade this weekend to mark the 65th anniversary of the founding of the communist party.
