Special to WorldTribune.com

By Lee Jong-Heon, East-Asia-Intel.com

SEOUL — The Workers’ Party is believed to have increased its power relative to the military in North Korea as new leader Kim Jong-Un has refocused the regime and enhanced the Party’s status, sources and analysts here said.

The Party was sidelined under Kim’s late father Kim Jong-Il who ruled the country under a governing principle of “songun” (military-first) in which he placed the top priority on the 1.2 million-strong armed forces.

The senior Kim headed the reclusive country in the capacity of the top military commander so as to fan a war-like mood across the country to maintain control over its people stricken by horrific economic troubles and widespread famine.

But junior Kim, who ascended to power following the abrupt death of his father in December 2011, has distanced himself from such policies by attempting to weaken the military which had grown so powerful that it posed a threat to the youthful new leader.

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  Kim boosts Workers’ Party to check power of North Korea’s military, Kim Jong-Il, Kim Jong-Un, Songun