Following a memorial for North Korea's late ruler, Kim Jong Il, on Thursday, the country declared his son, Kim Jong Un as "supreme leader" and also let the world know what to expect from North Korea as it undergoes the change in leadership.

“Taking this opportunity,” North Korea said, as reported by The Washington Post, “we solemnly declare with confidence that the south Korean puppets and foolish politicians around the world should not expect any change from the DPRK,” or Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

According to The Telegraph, this was "standard propaganda" in which the North Korean National Defense Commission portrayed South Korea as the puppet and the United States as its puppet master.

The declaration was particularly aimed at South Korean President Lee Myung-bak whose relations with North Korea have been tense since he put an end to visits at the North-South resort at Mount Kumgang (a substantial source of revenue for the North Korean capital of Pyongyang) and then cut-off aid following the attack of a South Korean warship and neighboring islands that killed 50 people in 2010, reported The Telegraph.

More reasons for North Korea's discontent:

• The North on Friday accused Lee of “hideous crimes,” and named at least a half-dozen of them, including showing insufficient respect to Kim Jong Il by sending only a small and unofficial delegation to his funeral. It also criticized Lee for holding a state security meeting after Kim’s death and raising the alert level for troops.
• “The south Korean puppets and world reactionaries should no longer make a fool of themselves in their bid to lead the DPRK to ‘contingency’ and make its ‘system unstable,’ something unimaginable,” the North said.

Though the statement issued by North Korea also said that it "will continue to push hard toward the path of improved relations," the unlikelihood of creating an immediate amiable relationship with South Korea and the U.S. was expected by some experts.

"This is no surprise," said Michael Breen, author of a biography of Kim Jong-il, the late leader who died at the age of 69, to The Washington Post. "North Korea is saying 'we stand as we are - don't mess with us'."

According to NPR, South Korean Minister of Defense Kim Kwan-jin and U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta spoke by phone following the statement.

"The secretary and the minister shared the view that peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula is our overarching priority and agreed to maintain close cooperation and coordination in the weeks and months ahead," Little said to NPR.