kim jong-il took over the power from kim il-son more than 20 years ago and during the intervening years strengthened his hold on the worker's party. however, kim jong un suddenly appeared in public as a four star general and vice chairman of the central committee. kim jong-il and his family act as guardians for kim jong un because he has no immediate experience and is still in his late 20s. but the transfer of power will not be smooth. north korea postponed a party conference originally set september 7th. there is speculation of dissatisfaction among some party members. but now it has been the purpose of the conference was to show the succession of power. >> so the change of power continues, what do you foresee happening in the future in north korea? >> well, the country is now faced with many tasks and much international controversy. north korea has been suffering from a devastating economy and the priority is to get aid and a guarantee of political stability from the united states. at this moment there is no sign the obama administration will lift economic sanctions. in order to get f

kim jong il took over the power from kim il song more than 20 years.uring the intervening years he strengthened his grip on the workers' party and pardoned his rivals. however, kim jong un suddenly appeared in public way four-star general and vice chairman of the central military committee. kim jong il and his family act as guardians for kim jong un because he has no military experience and is still in his late 20s. but the transfer of power will not be smooth. north korea postponed the party conference, originally it was set on september 7th, so there is a speculation of dissatisfaction among some party members. but now it has been revealed the purpose of the conference was to show the succession of power. >> i see. so if the change of power continues, what do you foresee happening in the future in north korea? >> well, the country is now faced with many tasks and much international controversy. north korea has been suffering from a devastating economy, and the priority is to get foreign aid and a guarantee of political stability from the united state

this is from reuters: north korean kim chong-il's son and heir to the state, kim chong-il, has named a member of the ruling party's central committee. this is according to state media, from kim chong-il, and his son is believed to have been born in 1983 or 1984, and has been given the full public title today as a general was named to the post at a party conference, the first party conference of its kind in 30 years. and now jonathan, the only organized part of their entire society and of their government is the military. and now kim the younger, which you coined him and he is forever that in studio b, kim the younger is now the head of this, they spite the fact we have absolutely no reason to believe he has had military expense of any kind. period. >>reporter: appear extraordinary promotion for a man who is if his late 20's, but, two important points: he is vice chairman of the military commission, a hugely powerful position because the military is so powerful it is one of the only organized structures when the country, one of the only structures that can guarantee getting food on th

rehabilitative jong il from place. to general and a possible step toward the transfer of power we talked to experts about what this could mean for relations with the rest. of carrying a jewish activists attempting to reach book aided garza has been forced to divert to the port of ashdod in israel by israeli warships among those on board is a holocaust survivor and an israeli man who lost his daughter at a palestinian suicide bombing a spokesman for the group that all going on the journey says many jews don't support the israeli government's behavior towards palestinians. we've had the better world order we understand international waters but the crew and happened in the boat. don't we hope they will be. released. immediately. treatment in the area or we believe the blockade is illegal and illegitimate and we want any of them to make a. public statement amar will hope that the collective punishment of the people of god and good political trial that the blockade of gaza and the company would argue the group with the weap

north korean leader kim jung il has made his youngest son of four star general in a promotion seen as the first step towards hunting of a power point was made before conventional the country's ruling workers' party the first in decades at the historic meeting awarded he. and other family members to oppose the moves of helping extend the communist and to into a third generation. of. world attention is turned on north korea for the first workers party meeting in thirty years there are rumors of imminent change but that according to those in the know is premature. kim jong il became a leader first and foremost thanks to his image of a true follower of his father's legacy ideas and not as some distort of the foundations or as the person to lead the country's policy into a sharp turn so obviously the same is going to apply to kim jong il's successor north korea's nuclear ambitions troubled the west and the secretive states tightlipped policies and everything has been successfully used as a tool by countries such as the united states. the united states in particular need a bad guy in the re

wanted to say that kim jong il appears is an energetic and informed person who knows what he does and knows what to strive for i think that the stereotypes appearing regularly in western and frankly also in russian publications about some unpredictable politician and regime are absolutely ungrounded because an irrational and unpredictable politician would hardly be able to hold power in his hands for the past two decades when many revolutions broke out and many countries actually disappeared money expected the north korean regime to fall however for a number of reasons including purely pragmatic and realistic policy and the ability to outplay the enemy even though in some small things the north korean regime managed to survive. and you mentioned that the north korean leader knows what he wants for his country and from his country he's calling a party meeting that hasn't been held in thirty years and many in the west specifically are very excited trying to guess why exactly or what he's trying to tell the world by doing that what do you think at the purpose of the conference and the wo

is alive now after kim jong il goes and he's not in good health in fact he's in quite bad health you know all bets are off what would his uncle do is uncle in law i should say jiang song was married to kim jong il's younger sister what would he do with the really the regent or would kim kim jong un like to get rid of him incidentally i should add that john was not the only one who was promoted today there were there were five others who were promoted the most important in the family and his family the younger sister a woman sixty four years old all right all in the family kim and perpetuating the dynasty ok victor fine go to you. you're the neighbor china is the neighbor and has the closest relations with with north korea. do you do you think the chinese leadership is given a heads up for a pretty clear heads up of what was going to happen this transition process because north korea if it likes it or not self-reliance or not is very reliant on china. well first of all i think the announcement coming out of pyongyang today is not surprising because the rumors have already been spreadi

there believe those rumors are exaggerated but i can't rule out the possibility that kim jong il has begun to ponder about his possible successor who would have to lead the country after he himself leaves the political arena i don't think the conference is due to pronounce anyone as a successor most likely such a person would simply be elected into the government which will allow him to prove his eligibility by his achievements in areas he would be in charge of. now if kim jong il decides to follow in his father's footsteps and name his son as his successor there's very little known about the man what do we know who is he what does he what does he have what he bring to north korea. first of all i think we shouldn't expect any dramatic changes right away because power in north korea is built on succession and continuity principles kim jong il became a leader first and foremost thanks to his image of a true follower of his father's legacy and ideas not of some destroyer of the foundations where the person to lead the country's policy into a sharp turn so obviously the same is going to

kim jong il. thank you so much for joining us. north korea remains one of the few mysteries today everything is known information about everything can be found easily but north korea maintains that shroud of secrecy while. it happened so that for centuries korea was detached from the rest of the outside world this has to do with the fact that back in the middle ages that frequently suffered from invasions by the mumble isn't japanese feel free this convince the ruling class that the country would live better if it reduced its contacts with the surrounding countries to a minimum but today in the twenty first century while the economic ties back on the world do you think that this policy of isolation will help north korea progress economically yeah there has been that much talk in the west about north korea opening up with them on its integration into the world community not up with you with whoever real policy that's very often at all sorts of statements some sort of best theory or broke out in the media recently around the fact of

that meeting sok kim jong il appointed to the highest ranks of the party, -- saw kim jong-il appointed to the highest ranks of the party, confirming him as his father's successor. after years in charge, he is for real, the elderly, and on well. there is speculation that he is -- is frail, elderly, and unwell. there's speculation that he is about to do the same and appoint his son as his successor. kim jong-un has been given the rank of four-star general. >> there will be cries of joy in public in front of the tv crews. even in private houses. the radio, newspapers, and media will start telling stories about his greatness. >> things may move slow as a matter of course. the newly-bestowed made -- military ranking may be all that is made public with any political promotion keyed -- kept under wraps. it is an imperfect view speculating about what is going on from the outside. a party conference is all about the succession. it seems plausible. it may not be the breakthrough moment that many predict. perhaps kim jong-un will be promoted behind closed doors or not at all. >ordinary north kore

kim jong-il is called "the der leader." and now his son will take the soap opera into a third generation. he is known officially as brilliant. grimm, poverty stricken -- this is his inheritance. we still cannot film it openly, but this could be the start of change. and now the government tolerates night markets, where people can sell in the streets. police used to stop this kind of thing. now they let it happen. >> it signals there will be a very stable transition. and in north korea. it will take longer than one or three years. >> there is one other important player behind the scenes today, and that is china. china may be worried that north korea will inflow of with incalculable consequences for the in -- will in flowed with incalculable consequences for the entire region so, it is that closed mysterious country across the river -- it could mean that changes on the way for the family business. >> john since then, our world affairs editor there. at least seven people are confirmed killed. the rain collapsed a hillside, bury

in the case from kim il-sung to kim jong il, it took almost 20 years.tarted out in kim il-sung's eyes in 1974, and even then after he died, there were three years of mourning, one until -- one of preparation, and it was not until 1998 when the new government was established under kim jong il, so succession is not such an easy task of naming of its sons or next to the youngest sons or the daughter or whatever. it is not that simple. the basic fundamental change that occurred in north korea after kim jong il took over is that the prominence of the military -- kim jong il's government is predominantly military -- professional military in active duty run state. he was the communist party of north korea to run the country. kim jong il, in a party, for example, since 1980 -- they did not hold the party conference, so 30 years we have neglected the party activity. some basic fundamental changes. notable changes that occurred that were not implemented in north korea are following -- there was economic relaxation on property ownership. north korean constitutiona

nobody knows until kim jong il dies. this is a boy who nothing is known about until yesterday his name had never appeared in the north korean press. we don't even really know how to spell it. they say sometimes u-n.... >> warner: they changed the spelling today. >> you had two different ones on the prompter. i'd ask katy about that. the only photograph of him shows him at the age of about 12. so he's the man without a name. the man without a face. something that i've been hearing in china-- i'm based in beijing-- is that even in north korea, there are some rules for legitimacy within the party one needs to establish credibility and presence. so i would not say he's the successor. i would say he's daddy's favorite. >> warner: not a done deal. do you think katy-oh, you can read this as expressing kim jong il's wish? and if so what explains the appointment of his sister as a general? what is that all about? >> i think i would make a little bit different approach. i think king jong ewen. >> warner: the son? >> i think he is

a village in russia's far east that might have been the birthplace of north korean leader kim jong il. but first a gathering of some of the finest minds from around the world has put the russian city of jaroslav along the map this week it played host of the global policy forum a brainstorming session bringing together statesmen in the strategists investors and innovators catarina groucho followed the event. young much you are ineffective sovereign democracy as it turns out is different things to different states the title of these here is for many years slavic standard democracy and efficiency made it sound a little rain even for the kremlin's toughest critics gave some of them the chance to hit the presidents wrong. to go to church he said listen i strongly disagree with those who say there's no democracy in russia and that there's authoritarian tendencies here it's not true that russia is a democracy beyond any doubt it's young it's immature it's still not perfect and experience but it's a democracy nonetheless there's a way to go but we're ready to work on it in some countries demo

kim jong-il's health was thought to be deteriorating.ou'll find more of that and all the international news on line at bbc.com. we are also on facebook and twitter as well. thank you for watching. >> see the news unfold, get the globe and click to play video reports. go to bbc.com/news to experience the in-depth, expert reporting of "bbc world news" online. >> funding was made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu. newman's own foundation. the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation. and union bank. >> union bank has put its global financial strength to work for a wide range of companies. what can we do for you? >> there is one stage that is the met and carnegie hall." >> o, that this too, too solid flesh -- >> it is the kennedy center. >> check, one, two. >> and a club in austin. >> it is closer than any seat in the house, no matter where you call home. >> the top of the world, and i'm there, i'm home. >> pbs -- the great american stage that fits in every living room. your support of pbs brin

of how a village in russia's far east might have been the bath place of north korean leader kim jong il. this week saw prime ministers and presidents along with analysts and academics come together in the russian city of yaroslavl it played host to the global policy forum a brainstorming session tackling some of the toughest questions of our time and how to make a democracy will work and how to make the world a safer place because he has been following it. which young which you are in fact if solver and democracy as it turns out is different things to different states but these years for many years loving standards of democracy and efficiency made it sound alluring even for the kremlin's toughest critics gave some of them the chance to hit the presidents wrong. you're going to go to church he said listen i strongly disagree with those who say there's no democracy in russia and that there's authoritarian tendencies here it's not true that russia is a democracy beyond any doubt it's young it's immature it's still not perfect and experience but it's a democracy nonetheless there's a way to

north korean leader kim jong il is promoted is the youngest son came. to the rank of general in what's seen as the first step of a power transition and it came before the country's ruling were gathered for its biggest convention in decades. slim elf moves were made only a few succession has been shrouded in mystery but as always governor that over reports that practice is in dollar common in north korea. and the twenty first century everything is global and all kinds of information is available online but there remains a lot of mystery in the world wide web and that is north korea that many are pretty trade secrets not likely get access to ships he was one of you to visit the place and hopefully will share his impressions a alex so tell me you were in yang what's it like what's your biggest impression be honest with you when i was going there i felt a little nervous haven't read all the stories about north korea in the western media that it's scary place it's all the different sort of scary things that when i arrived there i thought it was nothing like

kim il-sung and his son, kim jong il, are the only two leaders of north korea has ever known. kim jong-il had a very long and public grooming for power, seen as the only possible successor for his godlike father. the leadership cold could easily pass at you another generation -- cult could easily pass to another generation. the talk is once again of succession, but this time it needs to be organized in more haste. and with the added problem, many suggest, that none of his three known as suns appear to be promising leaders. the first, kim jong nam, was at once caught trying to enter japan with a false passport, trying to visit tokyo's disneyland. the second son, kim jong chul, is reportedly considered too thin and then by his father. that leaves the third son, perhaps soon to be in charge of a fledgling nuclear power. political successions in totalitarian states are always fraught with difficulty, and kim jong-un is a complete political novice. he may be his father's chosen successor, but the other power elites in north korea might be a different matter. bbc news, seoul. >> the

the second leader of north korea and the son of its president officially kim jung il was born in one thousand forty two in japanese occupied korea according to north korean history books his birth was followed by the appearance of two rainbows in a new story in the heavens but there's a different story man many north koreans may know about this as they all came also many as some the current leader of north korea both used to live here in our village. this is very scary several dozen miles away from the city of kut ask in russia's far east back in a man nine hundred forty s. it was the home of a joint chaney's korean guerrilla regiment fighting against japan before north korea was established as a state its future leader kim il sung also used to serve year as a captain of the red army and i thought he could be called was born and spent his whole life in the arts can. i remember this camp we want allowed to go there but chinese and korean soldiers were free to walk anywhere they wanted some of them even got married had some left leaving three or four women pregnant came in will soon fl

but now kim chong-il is believed to be preparing his youngest son to take over power.re are no recent pictures of the son so we don't know what he looks like or how old he is, somewhere around 27, and state media has reported that kim chong-il has just named his son a military general. he has no military experience but they have called him "the general," anyway. the meeting will be something like a gathering in 1980 when the first leader announced that kim chong-il would be the successor. with us now is the chair at the strategic international studies part of a think tank. he is expected to be the start of a dynasty process but i'm not sure what will change. >>reporter: it is a good point. i don't think a lot will change. this, if this is what the reports are saying, it will be the third in the kim family to take over since the establishment of the country in 1948 and as your story said, he is 27, he has no real experience. and the only picture we really have of him is one from when he was eight years old. so it is unprecedented in international relations that you have

the meeting is expected to put the third son of kim jong-il in line for succession. he believed to have suffered a stroke two years ago. i asked how much was known about kim jong il's successor. >> truth be told, very little. we are not even sure how old he is. he is thought to be 26-years old, so he is very inexperienced. we know a few brief details. he is reported to have spent some time studying at a private school in switzerland. beyond that, very little is known. we don't know for sure that he is his father's chosen successor, but reading between the lines, north korea calling this a party gathering a turning point in recent weeks. that is believed to be its normal cryptic language. something significant is afoot. most agree that if a succession process is to begin, kim jong- il's son is the likely candidate to take over. >> should we expect any change in politics no matter who takes over? >> if we do see the beginnings of a succession process, and i don't think it's likely to come in dramatic form, we may see kim jong il elevated to a senior party position just

. >>> north korean leader kim jong-il has named his third son, kim jong-un a four-star general in the military. north korea's state-run television made the special announcement on tuesday, the opening day of the workers party conference. it marks the first time that the son's name has ever been mentioned in public. kim jong-un is also expected to be given a high-ranking party post to succeed his father. the announcement said the leader's younger sister, kim yong he, has also been promoted to a four-star general. it's thought she will serve as care taker until power is transferred to kim jong-un. now little is known about kim jong-un, even basic facts about jong-un, who is likely to succeed his father as leader, have been long been shrouded in mystery. >> such things as the year of kim jong-un's birth cannot be acertained with certainty. it is widely thought that the heir apparent was born in 1983, but some experts suggest 1984 is the more likely year. in the late 1990s, kim jong-un studied in switzerland for several years. at school, he used the name pak un and it is said he identifie