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| N Korea renews Kim's leadership | N Korea renews Kim's leadership |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| North Korea's rubber-stamp parliament has re-elected Kim Jong-il as chairman of the National Defence Commission, the country's most powerful position. | North Korea's rubber-stamp parliament has re-elected Kim Jong-il as chairman of the National Defence Commission, the country's most powerful position. |
| Mr Kim's re-election comes days after a rocket launch that was lauded at home but criticised at the UN. | Mr Kim's re-election comes days after a rocket launch that was lauded at home but criticised at the UN. |
| Analysts say the move will help cement Mr Kim's position, after rumours he lost some of his grip on power after suffering a stroke in August. | Analysts say the move will help cement Mr Kim's position, after rumours he lost some of his grip on power after suffering a stroke in August. |
| Observers have expressed concern about the apparent lack of a succession plan. | Observers have expressed concern about the apparent lack of a succession plan. |
| Launch 'success' | Launch 'success' |
| N Korea a problem for Obama North Korea's missile programme Reaction to North Korea launch | |
| "The first session of the Supreme People's Assembly... elected leader Kim Jong-il chairman of the National Defence Commission," the North's official Korean Central News Agency reported. | "The first session of the Supreme People's Assembly... elected leader Kim Jong-il chairman of the National Defence Commission," the North's official Korean Central News Agency reported. |
| Mr Kim is also head of the ruling Workers' Party, but the National Defence Commission is the most important position - putting him in overall control of the 1.2 million-member armed forces. | Mr Kim is also head of the ruling Workers' Party, but the National Defence Commission is the most important position - putting him in overall control of the 1.2 million-member armed forces. |
| The parliament, known as the Supreme People's Assembly, was formed by elections in which only one candidate was approved for each seat. | The parliament, known as the Supreme People's Assembly, was formed by elections in which only one candidate was approved for each seat. |
| Its current session is also expected to approve reshuffles in the cabinet and the military. | Its current session is also expected to approve reshuffles in the cabinet and the military. |
| Analysts say Mr Kim received a domestic boost from Sunday's rocket launch, despite widespread foreign criticism of what was seen as a disguised missile test. | Analysts say Mr Kim received a domestic boost from Sunday's rocket launch, despite widespread foreign criticism of what was seen as a disguised missile test. |
| Kim Jong-il has ruled the country with absolute power since his father's death | Kim Jong-il has ruled the country with absolute power since his father's death |
| State television broadcast a lengthy paeon to Mr Kim and the military on Thursday, a day after tens of thousands of North Koreans rallied in Pyongyang to celebrate the rocket launch. | State television broadcast a lengthy paeon to Mr Kim and the military on Thursday, a day after tens of thousands of North Koreans rallied in Pyongyang to celebrate the rocket launch. |
| But the UN Security Council has been debating whether North Korea should be punished for the weekend's launch. | But the UN Security Council has been debating whether North Korea should be punished for the weekend's launch. |
| Japan and the US are pushing for a UN Security Council resolution which would reinforce and possibly extend the existing sanctions against North Korea, applied in the wake of the country's nuclear test in 2006. | Japan and the US are pushing for a UN Security Council resolution which would reinforce and possibly extend the existing sanctions against North Korea, applied in the wake of the country's nuclear test in 2006. |
| But China and Russia have been more cautious, saying they are yet to be convinced Pyongyang broke the rules. | But China and Russia have been more cautious, saying they are yet to be convinced Pyongyang broke the rules. |
| North Korea has warned that "strong steps" will follow if the UN does takes action. | North Korea has warned that "strong steps" will follow if the UN does takes action. |
| Fit and well? | Fit and well? |
| Mr Kim, 67, has ruled the impoverished nation of 24 million with absolute authority since his father's death in 1994. | Mr Kim, 67, has ruled the impoverished nation of 24 million with absolute authority since his father's death in 1994. |
| But he has no obvious successor, and concern about the future of North Korea after Mr Kim's death has been heightened in recent months due to his ill health. | But he has no obvious successor, and concern about the future of North Korea after Mr Kim's death has been heightened in recent months due to his ill health. |
| Mr Kim's suspected stroke last August kept him out of the public eye through a series of important anniversary events, and is believed to have caused a delay to the parliamentary elections. | Mr Kim's suspected stroke last August kept him out of the public eye through a series of important anniversary events, and is believed to have caused a delay to the parliamentary elections. |
| In recent weeks, North Korean media have released video images of Mr Kim touring farms and factories, in what analysts say was a strategy designed to show he was fit and well before the parliament vote. | In recent weeks, North Korean media have released video images of Mr Kim touring farms and factories, in what analysts say was a strategy designed to show he was fit and well before the parliament vote. |