N. Korea's Jong-Un gets new title, meets S. Koreans

North Korea Monday added a key title to the credentials of its untested new ruler Kim Jong-Un, who met his first South Korean delegation since he was hailed as "great successor" to his late father. In a move that experts said shows the successor is on track to take full control of the secretive nation, the ruling party newspaper hailed Jong-Un as head of its Central Committee. "Let's stake our lives to safeguard the party's Central Committee led by dear comrade Kim Jong-Un," Rodong Sinmun said. Jong-Un, in his late 20s, has also been touted as "supreme commander" of the military since his father Kim Jong-Il died on December 17 of a heart attack at the age of 69. Usually the head of the Central Committee -- a top decision-making body -- is also its general secretary, a position previously held by Kim Jong-Il. "Jong-Un has not officially taken over as general secretary, but he is expected to inherit it and other posts held by his father," Dongguk University professor Kim Yong-Hyun told AFP. Jong-Un has been the central figure in scenes of mourning at the Kumsusan Memorial Palace, where his father lies in state in a glass coffin. On Monday evening he met the leaders of two South Korean delegations at the palace, Seoul's unification ministry said. A spokesman said Lee Hee-Ho, widow of late South Korean president Kim Dae-Jung, and Hyundai Group chairwoman Hyun Jung-Eun paid respects to the late leader and expressed condolences to Jong-Un. The South's government had approved the trip by the two delegations but banned other mourning visits by South Koreans, a decision criticised by Pyongyang as "inhuman". Kim Dae-Jung and Kim Jong-Il held the first-ever inter-Korean summit in 2000 and Hyundai pioneered cross-border business projects. The North's official news agency said Jong-Un "expressed deep gratitude" for their presence. It said Lee wrote in the memorial guest book that she hoped for "a quick unification" of the divided Koreas, in accordance with the spirit of the joint summit declaration signed by her late husband. Official media heaped more praise on Jong-Un, describing him as a "tender-hearted man" who sent hot sweet drinks to mourners braving freezing conditions in the capital Pyongyang. The isolated state is making final preparations for what is expected to be an elaborate funeral for Kim on Wednesday that will be closely watched for clues about the powers at the side of the new ruler. South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported Monday that Kim Jong-Il's eldest son Jong-Nam had arrived in Beijing from Macau and was "placed under Chinese protection", quoting what it called a source familiar with his activities. Seoul's National Intelligence Service said it had no information on the report and there was no other confirmation. It was not clear whether the eldest son would attend Wednesday's funeral in Pyongyang, Yonhap said. Kim Jong-Nam, 40, has lived abroad -- mainly in the Chinese territory of Macau -- for years after apparently falling out of favour with his father for trying to enter Japan on a false passport in 2001. A South Korean left-wing activist also left Saturday for North Korea via Paris and Beijing to pay her respects, her colleagues said, despite Seoul's ban on visits other than the trip by the former first lady and Hyundai chief. The North on Sunday lashed out at South Korea for its response to Kim's death, warning of "catastrophic consequences" for relations unless Seoul eases restrictions on condolence visits by South Koreans. The South blames its neighbour for two deadly border incidents last year, but has taken a generally conciliatory stance since the shock announcement on November 19 that Kim had died of a heart attack two days earlier. But the authorities, who by law must approve all contacts with Pyongyang, allowed only two private delegations to visit the North and are not sending an official team. The North says the world is in mourning for its late leader. Chinese traders in Dandong, just across China's border with the North, told Seoul's Yonhap news agency Monday that North Korean business partners were urging them to offer condolences. They said Pyongyang has set up mourning venues at its embassy in Beijing, its consular offices in Shenyang, Dandong and Yanji, and other places in China with a large North Korean population.