1st Picture of Kim Jong-il's Youngest Son Revealed

The first known photo of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's youngest son Jong-un has been made public amid rumors that Kim junior is his father's likeliest successor.

KBS on Thursday showed a childhood photo of Kim Jong-un, taken when he was 11. The broadcaster received the photo from Kenji Fujimoto, a Japanese cook for Kim senior for 13 years.

Fujimoto told the network, "They gave me his childhood photo, saying they couldn't share any of his recent photos with me. They told me never to make it public."

He claimed Kim Jong-un was apparently qualified as a future leader. "Whether he can be (his father's) successor depends on Jang Song-taek, administrative director of the North Korean Workers Party, who is the real power in the North Korean regime."

All three of Kim's sons are being mentioned as potential candidates to succeed him. The others are eldest son Jong-nam and Jong-chol. Who will succeed Kim senior could become clearer in nominal elections of deputies to the Supreme People's Assembly on March 8, KBS said.