The top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Monday issued an order promoting his son Kim Jong Un and several commanding officers to the rank of general, the official KCNA reported early Tuesday.

Top leader Kim Jong Il's son Kim Jong Un, and Kim Kyong Hui, Choe Ryong Hae and three others from the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) were promoted to general, said the order.

The order also give the rank of colonel general to Ryu Kyong, lieutenant general to Ro Hung Se, Ri Tu Song and four others, and the rank of major general to Jo Kyong Jun, Jang To Yong and Mun Jong Chol and 24 others.

Also on Monday, Ri Yong Ho, chief of KPA General Staff, was awarded the military rank of Vice Marshal of the Korean People's Army on Monday by a decision of the National Defence Commission.

The appointments came one day earlier ahead of a crucial conference of the ruling WPK, which was widely expected to produce strong influence for the whole country's future.

According to a decision announced by the Politburo of the Central Committee of the WPK on June 23, the WPK conference, the first in 44 years, will elect its highest leading body.

The conference is believed a timely move to reinforce and improve the party's function and mechanism under new domestic and international circumstances and will indicate that the DPRK is about to enter a new age.

According to the order, Kim Jong Il expressed a firm belief that the promoted commanding officers of the KPA would creditably discharge their missions and duties as the mainstay and main force of the revolution and remain true to the party's leadership in the future.