Editing Kim Jong-un (section)

===Pre-2010 Party Conference speculation===
His eldest paternal half-brother Kim-Jong nam had been the favorite to succeed, but he reportedly fell out of favor after 2001, when he was caught trying to enter Japan on a fake passport to visit Tokyo Disneyland.

[[Kim Jong-il|Jong-il]]'s former personal chef [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenji_Fujimoto Kenji Fujimoto] revealed details regarding Jong-un, with whom he shared a good relationship, stating that he was favored to be his father's successor. Fujimoto also claimed that Jong-un was favored by his father over his elder brother Kim Jong-chul reasoning that Jong-chul is too feminine in character, while Jong-un is "exactly like his father". Furthermore Fujimoto stated that "If power is to be handed over then Jong-un is the best for it. He has superb physical gifts, is a big drinker and never admits defeat." Also, according to Fujimoto, Jong-un smokes Yves Saint Laurent cigarettes and loves Johnnie Walker whiskey and has a Mercedes-Benz 600 Sedan. When Jong-un was 18, Fujimoto described an episode where Jong-un questioned his lavish lifestyle and asked, "We are here, playing basketball, riding horses, riding Jet Skis, having fun together. But what of the lives of the average people?". On January 15<sup>th</sup>, 2009 the South Korean news agency, Yonhap, reported that Jong-il appointed Jong-un to be his successor.

On March 8<sup>th</sup>, 2009; the BBC reported rumors that Jong-un appeared on the ballot for elections to the Supreme People's Assembly, the rubber stamp parliament of North Korea. Subsequent reports indicate that his name didn't appear on the list of lawmakers; however, he was later elevated to a mid-level position in the National Defense Commission, which is a branch of the North Korean military. Reports have also suggested that he is a diabetic and suffers from hypertension.

From 2009, it was understood by foreign diplomatic services that Jong-un was to succeed Jong-il as the head of the Korean Workers' Party and de facto leader of North Korea. He has been named "Yŏngmyŏng-han Tongji" (영명한 동지), which loosely translates to "Brilliant Comrade". His father had also asked embassy staff abroad to pledge loyalty to his son. There have also been reports that citizens in North Korea have been encouraged to sing a newly composed "song of praise" to Jong-un, in a similar fashion to that of praise songs relating to Jong-il and [[Kim Il-sung]]. Later, in June, Jong-un was reported to have visited China secretly to "present himself" to the Chinese leadership, who later warned against North Korea conducting another nuclear test. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has strongly denied that this visit occurred.

North Korea was later reported to have backed the succession plan, after Jong-il suspended a propaganda campaign to promote his youngest son. His birthday has since become a national holiday, celebrated on January 8<sup>th</sup>, according to a report by a South Korean website. He was expected to be named on September 28<sup>th</sup>, 2010 as successor to his father as leader of North Korea.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter visited China in early September 2010, and discussed the issue of North Korean leadership succession with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. According to Carter, Jong-il had said to Wen that Jong-un's prospective promotion to paramount leader of North Korea was "a false rumor from the West".