DATE= 10/8/97 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-220978 TITLE=N. KOREA / KIM ANNOUNCEMENT (L-ONLY) BYLINE=JENNIFER VEALE DATELINE=SEOUL CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO - NORTH KOREAN LEADER KIM JONG IL HAS BEEN OFFICIALLY NAMED THE HEAD OF HIS NATION'S COMMUNIST PARTY -- A POST HELD BY HIS LATE FATHER, KIM IL SUNG, FOR ALMOST 50 YEARS. JENNIFER VEALE REPORTS FROM SEOUL THAT HIS ELEVATION TO THE POSITION COMES JUST AFTER THE END OF THE THREE YEAR MOURNING PERIOD FOR HIS FATHER. TEXT: AFTER MONTHS OF SPECULATION, NORTH KOREAN LEADER KIM JONG IL WAS FINALLY APPOINTED WEDNESDAY TO THE POST OF WORKERS PARTY GENERAL SECRETARY. NORTH KOREAN MEDIA REPORT HE WILL NOW BE REFERRED TO AS "GREAT LEADER" -- THE TITLE HIS FATHER HELD -- RATHER THAN HIS OLD TITLE, "DEAR LEADER." THE LONG-AWAITED MOVE WAS ANNOUNCED BY THE OFFICIAL MEDIA AND PAVES THE WAY FOR MR. KIM TO TAKE ABSOLUTE POWER, BY ASSUMING THE STATE PRESIDENCY LATER THIS YEAR. MANY OBSERVERS LONG ASSUMED MR. KIM WOULD BE ELEVATED TO PARTY CHIEF, AS HE ALREADY WIELDED CONSIDERABLE POWER AS HEAD OF THE ARMED FORCES. HIS NEW JOB INDICATES THAT ANY OPPOSITION TO HIS RULE HAS BEEN SWEPT ASIDE OR HAS LITTLE SUPPORT. NORTH KOREA'S OFFICIAL CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY CONFIRMED MR. KIM'S ASCENSION, SAYING THE LEADER ENJOYED THE FULL SUPPORT AND TRUST OF HIS PEOPLE. THE AGENCY HAS REPORTING IN RECENT WEEKS THAT FRUIT AND FLOWERS HAVE BEEN BLOOMING OUT-OF-SEASON TO WELCOME MR. KIM'S ELEVATION. MR. KIM, IT IS BELIEVED WAITED MORE THAN THREE YEARS OUT OF RESPECT FOR HIS DEAD FATHER, KIM IL SUNG, BEFORE TAKING OVER THE PARTY. HE IS EXPECTED TO USE THE NEW JOB TO TRY TO INSTITUTE REFORMS DESIGNED TO RESCUE HIS NATION'S STRUGGLING ECONOMY. NORTH KOREA'S CROPS HAVE BEEN DEVASTATED BY THREE YEARS OF FLOODING AND DROUGHT. (SIGNED) NEB/JV/FC 08-Oct-97 7:29 AM EDT (1129 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
