North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-il, made his son a four-star general on Tuesday, putting him on a path to run the regime.

The North’s state-run media announced the promotion of Kim Jong-un as part of a huge celebratory meeting of the Workers’ Party.

“The North Korean capital was in a festive mood, with banners and placards celebrating the meeting,” the AP reported. Kim Jong-il also was expected to give other family members top posts in the government, the wire said. 

Kim Jong-il is believed to be losing his health, while virtually nothing has been confirmed about his son, who is thought to be around 28.

“The KPA is demonstrating its might before the world as a powerful revolutionary army of Mt. Paektu after growing to be a strong army of the leader and the party, devotedly defending the headquarters of the revolution with arms and performing heroic feats to shine long in history in the defence of the country and building of a thriving socialist nation,” the North’s mouthpiece, KCNA, said in a statement announcing Kim Jong-il’s order.