North Korea names Kim Jong Un Supreme Commander

North Korea says it has officially named Kim Jong Un as Supreme Commander of the 1.2 million-strong military.

The North said in a statement early Saturday that Kim Jong Il's son and successor was given the title at a meeting Friday of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea.

The Korean Central News Agency says Kim Jong Un "assumed supreme commandership of the Korean People's Army" according to a will made by Kim Jong Il on Oct. 8.

Kim has received a string of titles from the government and state media in the wake of his father's death on Dec. 17. But the latest announcement gives formal approval to his control of the powerful military.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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