NK Parliament Mum On Kim Succession

BBC News reports:

A rare session of North Korea's parliament, seen as an opportunity to reveal more about political succession, has failed to mention leader Kim Jong-il or a son tipped to replace him.

Observers had been looking for clues that the son, Kim Jong-un, would lead a smooth transition as his father ails.

But state media made no mention of either man.

The rubber-stamp Supreme People's Assembly agreed to "remarkably increase" production.

Analysts of North Korea's opaque politics had thought he would be appointed to the National Defence Commission.

However, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) did not mention whether Kim Jong-il or his 28-year-old son attended the session, nor did it include the younger Kim in its mention of appointments.

The previous session of parliament, in June last year, oversaw the appointment of Jang Song Thaek, the brother-in-law of Kim Jong-il, to one of the defence commission's several vice chairmanships.

Great and prosperous

This time, official reports said only that one of several deputy prime ministers, Ri Thae-Nam, was sacked for "health reasons".

Prime Minister Choe Yong-Rim stressed the need to meet grain harvest targets "to bring about a decisive turn in improving the standard of people's living".

Dpeuty prime minister and finance minister Pak Su-Gil promised "huge funds" to develop industry and agriculture.

Legislators agreed to concentrate on becoming "a great, powerful and prosperous nation" by 2012.

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