Cambodian leader Hun Sen says backs eldest son to succeed him

FILE PHOTO: Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen speaks during a groundbreaking ceremony of the Project for Flood Protection, donated by Japan, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, March 4, 2019. REUTERS/Samrang Pring//File Photo

PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, one of the world's longest serving leaders after 36 years in power, on Thursday offered support for his eldest son as his potential successor, a move the main opposition leader compared to North Korea.

Hun Sen, who has presided over a broad crackdown on the opposition, civil society and the media that began in the run-up to 2018 elections, has in the past said he planned to rule until he felt he should stop.