CIA thinks Kim is still in control of North Korea

LANGLEY, Virginia (Reuters) - CIA Director Leon Panetta said on Wednesday it appears North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is still in control of the reclusive country.

A number of questions have arisen about Kim's health and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, on a tour of Asia last week, warned of a possible power struggle in the communist state.

Kim, 67, is widely believed to have suffered a stroke last August.

Asked if Kim remained in control of North Korea, Panetta told reporters: "Without getting into classified information, I think certainly the indication is that he continues to be in control of that country."

On Tuesday, North Korea said it was preparing to launch a satellite on one of its rockets, which analysts have said would actually be the testing-firing of its long-range Taepodong-2 missile designed to strike U.S. territory.

"Obviously it's something we're paying a great deal of attention to because of its implications in terms of the policy that this country has tried to develop with the North Koreans," Panetta said.

(Editing by John O'Callaghan)