NKorean succession could be turning point

"This could be a turning point for North Korea," British Foreign Secretary William Hague said as he urged the new leader to recognize that engagement with the international community offers the best prospect for his nation, BBC reported.

Also sounding warily optimist, the French Foreign Minister Alan Juppe hoped that the new leadership would bring in "new freedom" for North Korea. But US leaders watched the developments unfolding in a nation pursuing nuclear weapons with caution, as the White House said that President Barack Obama has been informed of the developments.

In a statement, the White House said it was "closely monitoring" the situation in a nation with a history of belligerence. Obama called his close friend President Lee Myung-Bak of South Korea at midnight and later a spokesman said: "The president reaffirmed the US` strong commitment to the stability of the Korean Peninsula and the security of our close ally, the Republic of Korea".

"The two leaders agreed to direct their national security teams to continue close coordination," the White House said. Though Obama made no direct comments on the development in Pyongyang, US officials looked for signs of instability in the succession.

South Korea, wary of an untested Kim Jong-un, Kim`s 20-something son, put its military on high-alert against the North`s 1.2 million- strong armed forces.