There are signs that following the death on Dec. 17 of North Korean "Dear Leader" Kim Jong Il, his youngest son Kim Jong Un is consolidating his power as the new leader. But it is unclear what direction his foreign policy will take. Japan should be prepared to flexibly cope with whatever moves North Korea might take.
On Dec. 30, the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (North Korea's ruling communist party) formally appointed him as the Supreme Commander of the military.
Kim Jong Il needed eight years to fully consolidate his power, first becoming the Supreme Commander of the military, then head of the National Defense Commission and lastly the general secretary of the party. But his son now only holds the title of Supreme Commander of the military. Although he is called head of the party's central committee, this is not an official title.