Anchor: With the death of late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, his third son Jong-un is now tasked to lead the North. Many are questioning whether he can fill the power vacuum left by his father. Our Kim Soyon tells us how the junior Kim believed to be in his late 20s is expected to deal with the challenges.

Report: Kim Jong-un was named as Kim Jong-il’s successor in January 2009. After making his official debut at a ruling Workers' Party meeting in September that year, he attended many public events with his father.

On the surface, Kim Jong-un appears to be swiftly taking control of the ruling party and the military, and he is also expected to be appointed as the top military commander. But many North Korea experts say the junior Kim faces many obstacles that lie ahead.

Experts say Kim will likely have to rely on his aunt, Kim Jong-il's younger sister Kim Kyong-hui, who currently serves as the chief of the Light Industry Department of the ruling Workers' Party. Her husband, Jang Song-thaek, the vice chairman of the National Defense Commission, is also expected to stand behind Kim Jong-un. The North's Korean Central Television on Saturday signaled Jang's growing presence in solidifying his nephew’s power base by showing him dressed in a four-star general uniform at the Geumsusan Memorial Palace.

Many experts believe that Kim Jong-il’s instructions will serve as policy guidelines for the time being, and the North Korean elite will accordingly seek its survival by gathering around Kim Jong-un. However, many also point out that the situation could change if the junior Kim fails to forge a new vision for the country in front of the ruling elite and the North Korean public.

It is expected to be difficult for Kim Jong-un to establish himself as a firm leader for North Koreans. Under Kim Jong-il, Pyongyang declared its intent to establish a strong and prosperous nation in 2012. Kim has been left with the burden of producing something tangible in line with this goal in order to meet the expectations of the North Korean public.

Kim Soyon, KBS World Radio News.