North Korean young leader Kim Jong-Un has become Marshal of the communist state, a title which was previously held by Kim’s father and predecessor Kim Jong-Il.

North Korean young leader Kim Jong-Un has become Marshal of the communist state, a title which was previously held by Kim's father and predecessor Kim Jong-Il.

"A decision was made to award the title of Marshal of the DPRK (North Korea) to Kim Jong-Un, supreme commander of the Korean People's Army," official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Wednesday.

The decision was jointly issued on Tuesday by several top state and party organs, it added.

Jong-Un became a general in September 2010. His promotion to a marshal came days after the country sacked its army chief Ri Yong-Ho as part of a reshuffle apparently aimed at tightening the new leader's grip on the military.

Pyongyang made Hyon Yong-Chul a vice marshal earlier this week, paving the way for him to succeed Ri as the army head.

"With Hyon awarded the title of a vice marshal, Jong-Un apparently needed a new, higher military rank as the supreme commander of the military," AFP news agency quoted Cheong Seong-Chang as saying.

"This is the only title left for Jong-Un to decorate himself with after he assumed almost all party and army positions," Chang added.