PYONGYANG - Top leader Kim Jong-un of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has been awarded the title of Marshal of the DPRK, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Wednesday.

"A decision was made to award the title of Marshal of the DPRK to Kim Jong-un, supreme commander of the Korean People's Army," announced the KCNA.

"The decision was jointly issued on Tuesday by the Central Committee and the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea, the National Defence Commission of the DPRK and the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK," it added.

The KCNA flashed a bulletin about an hour earlier before the news was officially released at 0300 GMT.