The British daily Telegraph says "North Korea's reclusive leader Kim Jong-il has declared discussion of his succession off limits for three years."

In an article titled "Kim Jong-il's women banned from planning succession," the paper said that according to analysts, Kim is reluctant to allow any of his three sons access to supreme power, as he's said to be unimpressed with their political abilities.

The report said the women in Kim's life, including his sister and his personal assistant, have their choices for a successor, but none of them has dared to propose any of the three sons for power, as it would be political suicide, and Kim himself is said to be resolved to prevent anyone from raising the subject until 2012.

The article cited Jung Chang-hyun, a South Korean academic who runs an experimental magazine in co-operation with North Korean state media. Jung said "Kim seems to have complete control of the military, the cabinet and the ruling party" and that succession talks are unlikely to surface until 2012.

The Telegraph also said that new evidence suggests that Kim's illness, though real, was not as serious as first thought.