SEOUL: Kim Jong-il's 26-year-old son has taken charge of the country's spy agency as part of preparations to succeed his father as leader of the country, a news report said yesterday.

Kim ordered senior officials at the State Security Department in March to "uphold" his youngest son, Kim Jong-un, as head of the agency, Seoul's Dong-a Ilbo newspaper reported.

Kim told the officials to "safeguard comrade Kim Jong-un with (your) lives as you did for me in the past," the mass-market daily said, citing an unidentified source.