A senior North Korean party official has dismissed concerns about Kim Jong Un's readiness to lead, saying he spent years working closely with his late father and helped him make key policy decisions on economic and military affairs.

NORTH Korea’s likely successor Kim Jong Un has swiftly risen to power since being made a four-star general a year ago, but he is more of an enigma than his late father was during 17 years of absolute power.

Jerry Guo looks at how power is shifting in the hermit state, the Kim dynasty and who really pulls the strings

North Korea’s Kim Jong Il made his youngest son a four-star general today in a major promotion seen as confirmation that he is to become the country’s next leader.