<P> On 10 October 2010, alongside his father, Kim Jong - un attended the ruling Workers' Party's 65th anniversary celebration . This was seen as confirming his position as the next leader of the Workers' Party . Unprecedented international press access was granted to the event, further indicating the importance of Kim Jong - un's presence . In January 2011, the regime reportedly began purging around 200 protégés of both Jong - un's uncle - in - law Jang Song - thaek and O Kuk - ryol, the vice chairman of the National Defence Commission, by either detention or execution to further prevent either man from rivaling Jong - un . </P> <P> On 17 December 2011, Kim Jong - il died . Despite the elder Kim's plans, it was not immediately clear after his death whether Jong - un would in fact take full power, and what his exact role in a new government would be . Some analysts had predicted that when Kim Jong - il died, Jang Song - thaek would act as regent, as Jong - un was too inexperienced to immediately lead the country . </P> <P> Following his father's death, Kim Jong - un was hailed as the "great successor to the revolutionary cause of Juche", "outstanding leader of the party, army and people" and "respected comrade who is identical to Supreme Commander Kim Jong - il", and was made chairman of the Kim Jong - il funeral committee . The Korean Central News Agency described Kim Jong - un as "a great person born of heaven", a propaganda term only his father and grandfather had enjoyed . And the ruling Workers' Party said in an editorial, "We vow with bleeding tears to call Kim Jong - un our supreme commander, our leader ." </P> <P> He was publicly declared Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army on 24 December 2011 and formally appointed to the position on 30 December when the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party "courteously proclaimed that the dear respected Kim Jong Un, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the WPK, assumed the supreme commandership of the Korean People's Army". </P>

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