A TOP North Korean official confirmed yesterday to broadcaster APTN that Kim Jong Il's youngest son will succeed him as the next leader of the nation.

In the first public confirmation of the succession plan, Yang Hyong Sop, a top official in North Korea's ruling party, referred to Kim Jong Un as "the young general" during an interview with APTN.

Yang, who was asked about last week's Workers' Party convention and the significance of Kim Jong Un's promotion to four-star general, said the nation's people were honored to serve him.

Kim Jong Un would be the third successivegeneration of his family to lead the nation of 24 million.

His grandfather, Kim Il Sung, founded the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in 1948 on policy of self-reliance called "juche." His son, Kim Jong Il, took over in 1994.

"Our people take pride in the fact that they are blessed with great leaders from generation to generation," Yang said.

"Our people are honored to serve the great President Kim Il Sung and the great leader Kim Jong Il," he added. "Now we also have the honor of serving young General Kim Jong Un."

Yang is a member of the political bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and vice president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, the country's parliament.

Kim Jong Un had been virtually unknown outside North Korea before he made his public debut last week, when he was promoted to four-star general and vice chairman of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea's central military commission. That backed up analyst speculation that he had been chosen to succeed his ailing father as eventual leader of the country.

The world got its first real glimpse of Kim Jong Un last week when his photo was published in state media and he was shown on television at a Workers' Party convention, the country's most significant political gathering in 30 years. Yang's comments are the first public confirmation that Kim Jong Un will eventually take over as leader.

• yesterday [´jestədi] n.&ad.昨天；前不久 (初中英语单词)
• succession [sək´seʃən] n.继任；继承(权) (初中英语单词)
• interview [´intəvju:] n.&vt.接见；会见；交谈 (初中英语单词)
• generation [,dʒenə´reiʃən] n.发生；世代；同龄人 (初中英语单词)
• grandfather [´grænd,fɑ:ðə] n.(外)祖父；祖先 (初中英语单词)
• republic [ri´pʌblik] n.共和国；共和政体 (初中英语单词)
• bureau [´bjuərəu] n.局；编辑部；事务所 (初中英语单词)
• supreme [su:´pri:m, sju:-] a.最高的，无上的 (初中英语单词)
• assembly [ə´sembli] n.集会；装配；与会者 (初中英语单词)
• parliament [´pɑ:ləmənt] n.议(国)会 (初中英语单词)
• glimpse [glimps] n.&v.瞥见 (初中英语单词)
• significance [sig´nifikəns] n.意义；重要性 (高中英语单词)
• promotion [prə´məuʃən] n.促进；提升；倡仪 (高中英语单词)
• successive [sək´sesiv] a.相继的；接连的 (高中英语单词)
• commission [kə´miʃən] n.委任(状) vt.委任 (高中英语单词)
• speculation [,spekju´leiʃən] n.思索，推测；投机 (高中英语单词)
• significant [sig´nifikənt] a.重要的；意义重大的 (高中英语单词)
• confirmation [,kɔnfə´meiʃən] n.证实；证据；确认 (英语四级单词)
• policy [´pɔlisi] n.政策；权谋；保险单 (英语四级单词)
• blessed [´blesid] a.享福的；神圣的 (英语四级单词)
• virtually [´və:tʃuəli] ad.实际上，实质上 (英语四级单词)
• gathering [´gæðəriŋ] n.集会，聚集 (英语四级单词)
• eventually [i´ventʃuəli] ad.最后，终于 (英语四级单词)