Free Republic

On CSPAN, Just announced that the final Vote will happen by Mid-night

Canadians favour Prince William to become king Published Tuesday November 3rd, 2009 Poll | Prince Charles not as popular A7 The Canadian Press OTTAWA - A new poll suggests the majority of Canadians would prefer to see Prince William become King, not his father. The Canadian Press/Harris-Decima poll, released Monday, asked 1,000 Canadians about their thoughts on the Royal Family. Forty-one per cent said they would rather see Prince Charles pass off the throne to William rather than succeed Queen Elizabeth himself, while 31 per cent believed Charles should be King. Doug Anderson, senior vice-president for Harris-Decima, said it was...

NKorea's Kim angry with son 2009-09-23 20:21 Kim 'in control' Tokyo - "Friction" has developed between North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il and his youngest son, who has been touted as most likely to take over the isolated communist state, a Japanese news report said on Wednesday. An angry Kim has even ordered state news agencies to temper praise of Kim Jong-Un and talk of any succession, Japan Broadcasting Corp (NHK) said on its internet news site.

Kim Jong-il 'Has Not Appointed a Successor' North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is well and has not appointed a successor, the North's no. 2 official claimed Thursday. Kim Yong-nam, president of the Presidium of North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly told Japan's Kyodo news agency Monday, "The matter of inheriting the revolutionary traditions is important. But this has nothing to do with the successor issue." "There has been no talk of succession at this moment," he added. Kim Yong-nam was interviewed in Pyongyang. He denied reports that Kim Jong-il has appointed his third son Jong-un as his heir apparent, which he...

I have no ill will toward Sen. Edward M. Kennedy. I respect and admire his long service, but is it too indelicate to ask if Kennedy is so concerned about continuity of representation in the U.S. Senate, why hasn’t he resigned to allow an orderly election to take place? The law defines a vacancy as occurring upon the filing of a letter of resignation, including a resignation not effective until a future date. And why, on this important matter of principle, didn’t he stand with Mitt Romney in 2004 when Democrats changed the law to deny the Republican governor the...

Kim Jong-un at age 10 (left); presumed appearance at 26 (right) according to ODNI

Report: N. Korea Facing Worst Crisis Since 1994 JULY 18, 2009 08:14 North Korea is facing its worst situation since the time of the death of its founder Kim Il Sung in 1994, the leading state-run think tank in South Korea said yesterday. The Korea Development Institute said in a report that North Korea is saddled with a string of problems, including the internal problems of supreme leader Kim Jong Il’s poor health and power succession and external matters of international sanctions and stalled inter-Korean relations. “When comprehensively considering the situation in North Korea, the North is facing a grave...

Inside the Ring Bill Gertz INSIDE THE RING (Contact) North Korean leadership New reports from U.S. and diplomatic sources say that the health of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il continues to decline and that he may have only one more year to live. A U.S. official who is familiar with the Korea situation but spoke on condition that he not be named said there are signs that Mr. Kim is still not well nearly a year after he suffered a stroke. "Kim Jong-il certainly hasn't been in good shape since his stroke last year, and, as time wears on, it's...

Young Mystery General Spotted Trailing Kim Jong-il South Korean intelligence services have spotted a young-looking one-star general walking behind North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in images taken during on-the-spot guidance tours this year, but it was unclear whether that was the elusive heir apparent Jong-un. An intelligence officer said, "In the process of closely scrutinizing photos and video images... we twice or three times spotted a young man in his mid- or late 20s in a one-star general's uniform escorting Kim, but it's unclear who he is because their definition is poor and the images are small." He added the...

Public Opinion on Jong Woon Uniformly Negative By Jiro Ishimaru, Representative of the Osaka office of Asia Press [2009-07-02 15:53 ] Jiro Ishimaru, who has been collecting news material along the North Korea-China frontier for more than a decade, visited the border regions again in mid-June. He met with nine North Koreans who were heading back to North Korea after concluding their private business. Ishimaru, the Representative of the Osaka office of "Asia Press,” subsequently wrote up what the North Koreans had told him, specifically about their view of Kim Jong Woon’s succession and the latest complications following the apparent...

N.Koreans 'in the Dark' About Succession An artwork is displayed at the Art Exhibition of Class Education at the Pyongyang International Culture Hall in Pyongyang on Wednesday. The Korean characters (left) read, "When we say we will do it, we will do it" (top), "The United States" (center) and "We do not make idle promises!" (bottom). /Reuters-KCNA North Koreans are apparently unaware that Kim Jong-il has chosen his youngest son Jong-un as his successor, and few North Koreans know who Kim Jong-un is. A North Korean official who recently returned from China told the Chosun Ilbo, "In China I found...

Report: North Korea's Kim using gifts to win support Thu, 25 Jun 2009 9:31a.m. North Korean leader Kim Jong Il doled out foreign-made cars to senior intelligence officials to ensure their loyalty to his youngest son when he put the 26-year-old in charge of the country's powerful spy agency, a report said. The appointment is part of Kim's plan to anoint the son, Kim Jong Un, as North Korea's future leader, South Korea's Dong-a Ilbo newspaper said, citing an unidentified source. The son is also overseeing the handling of two US journalists detained in March while on a reporting trip...

Kim Jong-un 'Acting as Proxy for Kim Jong-il' North Korean heir apparent Kim Jong-un works as acting chairman of the National Defense Commission to support his ailing father Kim Jong-il, the Mainichi Shimbun said Saturday. Quoting sources close to the North Korean regime, the Japanese daily said the leader's youngest son (26) is assisting his father although the position is not an official title. The paper quoted an official close to the North Korean leadership as saying this means Kim junior would immediately assume the commission chairmanship, effectively the most powerful post in the land, if Kim dies, although he...

/begin my translation Diplomat Stationed in Pyongyang, "Kim Jong-il's Health Got Worse" It prompted the decision of Kim Jong-un's designation as a successor (Beijing = Yonhap News) Cho Sung-dae = The health of N. Korean leader Kim Jong-il has markedly deteriorated recently, but Pyongyang is relatively calm with no unusual movements, according to Huanqiu Shibao, a sister newspaper of People's Daily, quoting an ambassador of a certain country to N. Korea on June 18. The ambassador, who wants to remain anonymous, said that marked deterioration of Kim's health created complications in N. Korea's domestic situation, and this sped up the...

06-14-2009 16:55 Photo of Kim Jong-il’s Heir Apparent at Age of 16 Unveiled A new photo of Kim Jeong-un, 26, who has emerged as the heir apparent to North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, has been unveiled in a Japanese newspaper. On the front page of Monday edition, the Mainichi Shimbun said that the photo shows him in his 16 years, when he attended a public school as seventh grader in Berne, Switzerland. He is one of his classmates in a group photo, which is confirmed to have been taken in June, 1999, the news paper said. He wears a black...

Dear Leader Kim Jong Il’s successor Kim Jong Un is a Schwarzenegger fan Roger Boyes in Berlin The man who may one day have his finger on the North Korean nuclear button was taught basketball by an Israeli and is a fan of Japanese cartoons and Arnold Schwarzenegger, aka the Terminator, a former schoolmate revealed yesterday. Kim Jong Un, the son of the Dear Leader and grandson of the Great Leader, was a bright outgoing pupil when he entered his teenage years at the International School of Berne, according to the former fellow pupil. Mystery surrounding the health of the...

Kim Jong-il's Eldest Son 'in the Dark but Not in Exile' North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's eldest son Jong-nam admits he relies on press reports for news that his younger brother Jong-un will succeed their father but denies he himself is looking for asylum abroad. Speaking to Nihon TV, Kim Jong-nam said he based his assumption on media reports and could neither confirm nor deny them definitely. Asked whether Kim Jong-un resembles his father, he said, "That is one of the reasons my father has named my brother as his successor. My father likes my brother very much." Nihon TV...

Purges Expected in N. Korea`s Succession Process JUNE 05, 2009 08:06 North Korean leader Kim Jong Il has purged his political opponents several times while consolidating power. Examples include the purges of “side branches” in 1974 and “Simhwajo” in the late 1990s after the death of his father, Kim Il Sung. Shortly after his designation as the heir in 1974, Kim Jong Il branded his stepmother Kim Song Ae and half brothers as “side branches” and forced them out of the political scene. Moreover, he demoted his uncle Kim Yong Ju, who was then the North’s second-in-command as organizing secretary...

/begin my summary N. Korea's Kim Jong-nam May Defect to China [Japanese Newspaper] (Tokyo = Yonhap News) Choi Irak = Kim Jong-nam, Kim Jong-il's eldest son, is currently staying in Macau, and could defect to China, Sankei Shimbun in Japan reported on June 5, quoting intelligence sources. According to the paper, the purge of Kim Jong-nam's associates has started as a part of rapidly laying the foundation for Kim Jong-un as the successor. N. Korea's State Security Department detained several associates of Kim Jong-nam around 8pm on Apr. 3 in Pyongyang. Upon hearing the news, Kim Jong-nam investigated on the...

Why three Ps mean end of an era in N Korea By Christian Oliver and Song Jung-a in Seoul and Demetri Sevastopulo in Hong Kong Published: June 3 2009 19:39 | Last updated: June 3 2009 19:39 Kim Jong-il looks set to be the last North Korean leader to enjoy a semi-divine status and rule the nation single-handedly. No matter how well he purges internal opposition, his youngest son will have to rely on a politburo of party and army officials if he takes power, amplifying the risks of infighting in the nuclear-armed state. /snip It is unlikely he can...

Tough Succession Road Awaits N. Korea`s Heir Apparent JUNE 03, 2009 07:37 The selection of Kim Jong Un as the heir apparent to his father and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il is expected to accelerate preparation for the power transfer in the Stalinist country. Yet the junior Kim will face a difficult road in the process of succession. â—‹ Different start from Kim Jong Il The power succession situation in the North is similar to that of 1974, when Kim Jong Il was unofficially named to succeed his father and the countryÂ’s founder Kim Il Sung. The designation process...

N.K. notifies institutions of nomination of leader's 3rd son as successor SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korean authorities have notified the country's key institutions that leader Kim Jong-il has designated his third son, Kim Jong-un, as his successor, a source on North Korean affairs said Monday. "The authorities made the notification to the Workers' Party of Korea, the Korean People's Army, the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly and the Cabinet shortly after its latest nuclear test on May 25," the source said on condition of anonimity.

(News Focus) N. Korea moving fast in timetable of provocative steps By Lee Chi-dong SEOUL, May 25 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's second nuclear test came as no surprise to South Korean officials on Monday, but they said the unpredictable communist nation pulled out its trump card earlier than expected. "North Korea seems to want a speedy game," a senior South Korean government official handling the nuclear issue said. "It seems to be seeking to create a condition favorable to itself as early as possible, rather than dragging its feet." The North, infuriated by the U.N. Security Council's condemnation of its...

N.Korea's Grandstanding 'Suggests Internal Power Struggle'North Korea's recent grandstanding may be motivated by internal power struggles over who is to succeed ailing leader Kim Jong-il, Korean and U.S. diplomats speculate. In an interview with VOA on Wednesday, Scott Snyder, the director of the Center for U.S.-Korea Policy at the Asia Foundation, said the internal situation in North Korea is ominous and recent actions including the launch of a long-range rocket seem to have something to do with the succession question. There are opinions that for want of a properly prepared heir apparent, one of Kim's sons will end up as...

Pyongyang Kids Learn the New Song By Shin Joo Hyun [2009-05-21 16:15 ] In Pyongyang elementary schools, teachers have been teaching their students “The Song of General Kim Jong Woon.” A Japanese source released a rumor to Daily NK on Thursday, “On the 6th, in a few elementary schools in Pyongyang, students learned ‘The Song of General Kim Jong Woon.’ The lyrics contain such mainstays of idolization as ‘gallant steps’ and ‘the General of Mt. Baekdu.’ The source reported, “Students said that they had to memorize the song, otherwise teachers wouldn’t let them go home. In Pyongyang schools, the authorities...

Internal political instability led to recent provocations by N. Korea: CIA chief By Hwang Doo-hyong WASHINGTON, May 19 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's recent provocations have come from political instability following the alleged health problems of its leader Kim Jong-il late last year, a top U.S. intelligence official said. "There also are legitimate questions being raised about the internal stability of North Korea, given Kim Jong-Il's health problems, uncertainty about succession, the weak economy, and the persistent food shortages," Leon Panetta, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, told a forum in Los Angeles Monday. "The result is that North Korea remains...

Last week the governor of Texas ignited a media firestorm for his remarks involving the idea of secession. He did not call for Texas to secede from the United States. He merely pointed out that the federal government was treading heavily on the sovereignty of the states and that this can not continue indefinitely without a breaking point. The reaction to Governor Perry’s statements has been nothing short of hysterical. He has been called treasonous for making this obvious point and opening up a discussion. I am not calling for secession either, however there is nothing wrong with a healthy...

Succession Plans Still Murky 2009-04-20 North Korea's leader appears increasingly ill, and time may be running out to find a successor. This picture, taken some time in 1992, shows current North Korean leader Kim Jong Il (R) and then-leader Kim Il Sung (L), inspecting a soccer ground in Pyongyang. WASHINGTON—Appointments to North Korea’s National Defense Commission (NDC) during recent meetings of the country’s rubber-stamp parliament show that leaders of the tightly closed country have begun to finalize plans for a successor to the ailing Kim Jong Il, analysts say. The 12-member NDC, chaired by supreme leader Kim Jong Il, is...

General's Headache Due To Sons' Conflicts By Lee Sung Jin [2009-04-17 18:34 ] Changchun, China -- After Kim Jong Il conducted an onsite inspection in Yangkang Province, rumors that “the General (Kim Jong Il) looked extremely unwell” began to circulate among cadres of the provincial Party committee and they have spread fast across the whole country in just a month. It is no longer a great shock for North Korean residents to learn that Kim Jong Il is ill. A source from Yangkang Province reported on the 14th in a telephone conversation with Daily NK, “When the General visited Samjiyeon...

Rumors Spread of Kim Jong Un as NK`s Heir Apparent MARCH 02, 2009 06:39 Conservative newsletters in South Korea specializing in North Korean affairs yesterday said Kim Jong Un, the youngest son of the NorthÂ’s supreme leader Kim Jong Il, is the heir apparent. Rumors are also swirling that the son threw a party Feb. 16 for high-ranking military officials to mark his fatherÂ’s 67th birthday. With the communist countryÂ’s media also cultivating an atmosphere for a power transfer, all eyes are on whether the March 8 general elections of the NorthÂ’s Supreme PeopleÂ’s Assembly will confirm these reports. â–½...

Kim Jong-Il's son Kim Jong-Un may be taking over from Dad From correspondents in Seoul February 20, 2009 04:49pm THE youngest son of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il is running in parliamentary elections seen by some analysts as laying the groundwork for a power transition, a report says. The leader's third son, 25-year-old Jong-Un, has registered as a candidate for the elections on March 8, the South's Yonhap news agency said. The registration means North Korea has started the process of designating the leader's successor, it said, citing sources in Beijing. "Kim Jong-Un will be formally nominated as successor after...

Election holds clues to Kim's next move By Christian Oliver Published: February 21 2009 02:00 | Last updated: February 21 2009 02:00 North Korean elections are never nail-biters. On the face of it, the March 8 contest will rubber-stamp the reappointment of the Supreme People's Assembly, the reclusive state's highest body, with every member including Kim Jong-il, the country's ruler, likely to garner 100 per cent support. But on this occasion the appointment of the assembly will offer rare clues about where Kim's dictatorship is headed even as military tensions simmer on the Korean peninsula and rumours swirl about the...

<p>Make no mistake—I love my country. But the country that I love is almost gone. And I am worried. Worried to the point where the idea of succession from the Union does not seem so farfetched anymore.</p>

Clinton Warns of Possible North Korean Succession Crisis By VOA News 20 February 2009 U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says there is a "pressing need" to decide how to talk with North Korea, as Pyongyang increasingly threatens South Korea. Clinton also said North Korea's potential leadership crisis could be prompting recent provocative statements from Pyongyang. She warned that a power struggle in the North could raise already heightened tensions between the communist country and its neighbors. The country's longtime leader, Kim Jong Il, is widely believed to have suffered a stroke in August. It is not clear who would...

Clinton sees possible North Korea power struggle By Arshad Mohammed 13 mins ago SEOUL (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday raised the possibility of a power struggle in North Korea, saying that made it more urgent to find a way to end the secretive state's nuclear weapons program. Speaking to reporters as she flew to South Korea, Clinton said "the whole leadership situation is somewhat unclear" in North Korea, whose leader Kim Jong-il is widely believed to have suffered a stroke last August. "If there is a succession, even if it is a peaceful succession ......

/begin my excerpts N. Korea: Kim's Brother-in-law Backing Kim's 3rd Son..in Control of Succession Process Jang Sung-taek(Kim Jong-il's brother-in-law) may serve as a regent for quite a while..this could also help protect Kim Jong-nam(Kim's eldest son.) (Seoul= Yonhap News) Choi Sun-young, Chang Yong-hoon = Amid reports that, on Jan. 8, N. Korean leader Kim Jong-il picked his third son Jong-un as his successor instead of his eldest son Jong-nam, it was revealed that Jang Sung-taek, Head of Worker's Party's Administration Department, known as Jong-nam's sponsor, played a decisive role in the process by (personally) recommending him (to Kim Jong-il) Jang,...

Kim Jong-il alone can decide North Korea successor: son Sat Jan 24, 4:47 am ET SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's eldest son, Kim Jong-nam, said Saturday his father is the only figure that can decide on his successor, a South Korean news report said Saturday. "Nobody can assert anything... My father will only decide," Kim told reporters upon arriving at a Beijing airport, when asked about the next leader of the communist country, Yonhap news agency reported. Last week, Yonhap reported that Kim Jong-il, thought to be recovering from serious illness, had picked his third and youngest...

/begin my excerpts "Kim Jong-il Designated Jung-woon, his 3rd Son, as his Successor" : a Source "Issued a directive to the party early this month".... 3rd generation hereditary rule unprecedented in modern history (Seoul=Yonhape News) Choi Sun-young, Chang Yong-hoon = N. Korean leader Kim Jong-il reportedly designated his 3rd son Kim Jung-woon(born in 1984) as his successor and issued a 'directive' containing this decision to Personnel Department of the ruling party early this month. An intelligence source said on Jan. 15, "We have learned that, around Jan. 8, Kim Jong-il sent party's Personnel Department a directive in which he designated...

/begin my excerpts "Kim Jong-nam is Dear Leader's Successor," Rumor Spreads Jang Sung-taek in charge of succession matters (In N. Korea,) Rumors are spreading among ruling party headquarter and senior military officials that Kim Jong-nam (Kim Jong-il's eldest son,) was chosen as his successor. According to the story, after Jang Sung-taek took over the Personnel Department at (Ruling) Party Headquarter in Nov. 2008, he is unofficially working on installing Kim Jong-nam as the successor, with Kim Jong-il's approval. Among ordinary N. Koreans, Jang is rumored to be practically running the country, and this may have something to do with his...

I’m pretty sure that I’ve never mentioned the birth certificate issue up until this point, even in the heat of the campaign.I have to confess that I have no idea what to make of the fact that, despite all of the lawsuits (most of which were thrown out due to lack of standing, which in turn makes one wonder, if a US citizen has no standing to challenge whether or not a presidential candidate is eligible to be president, who does?), the Obama campaign could easily put this to rest by simply unsealing the birth certificate, which (coincidentally with his...

/begin my translation N. Korea, Chaos from Succession Intrigue [Mainichi Shimbun] Yonhap News Jang Sung-taek, Director of Party's Administrative Department(& brother-in-law of Kim Jong-il), who is backing Kim Jong-nam(age:37, Kim Jong-il's eldest son,) asked Lee Je-gang, First Vice Director of Party's Personnel Department and the close associate of Kim Jong-il, to unite behind Kim Jong-nam (as the successor,) but was refused, according to Dec. 1 report of Mainichi Shimbun in Japan. Lee Je-gang is backing Kim Jong-chol, the second son (of Kim Jong-il.) Lee's refusal drove an irrevocable wedge between two sponsors. Succession problem, coupled with deteriorating health of Kim...

Just posting this because I believe there is a common misconception concerning the line of succession that could have big ramifications in an Obama Presidency. Most people believe that the line of succession means that if the Vice President is not able to finish his or her term that this automatically makes the Speaker of the House President. My understanding (and please correct me if I'm wrong) is that the line of succession goes to the House for the President and Senate for Vice President if BOTH people were to be unable to finish their terms at once. The line...

U.S. Intelligence: N.K. Leader`s Brother to Take Over SEPTEMBER 24, 2008 08:59 U.S. intelligence says Jang Song Taek, the brother-in-law of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, will take over if Kim falls seriously ill or dies, sources in Seoul and Washington said yesterday. U.S. intelligence analyzed who will replace Kim and if North Korea can maintain political stability under three scenarios: Kim has physical instead of mental problems; Kim cannot recover consciousness for a long time; and his death. A report on this was sent to the South Korean presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae, National Intelligence Service and...

For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary September 11, 2008 Executive Order: Executive Branch Responsibilities with Respect to Orders of Succession By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows: Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of the Federal Government to ensure that each executive branch agency can perform its essential functions and remain an effectively functioning part of the Federal Government under all conditions. Accordingly, each agency shall take all appropriate actions to establish, maintain, and, as necessary, revise an...

'Oligarchy May Dominate Post-Kim Jong-il Era' By Kim Sue-young Staff Reporter Amid mounting speculation over the health condition of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, an expert in inter-Korean relations said Thursday a small group of the elite or a military clique could take over the reclusive state. Cheong Seong-chang, director of the inter-Korean relations studies program at the Sejong Institute, said a power shift is a likely scenario in the post-Kim era. ``Kim is the only person who can tune differences among major state organizations,'' Cheong told The Korea Times. ``Thus, if he dies appointing no successor, the situation would...

N Korea's Kim died in 2003 and was replaced by lookalike, says Waseda professor Is Kim Jong Il dead? Yes, North Korea’s “Dear Leader” is no more, having passed away in the fall of 2003, writes Waseda University professor Toshimitsu Shigemura in Shukan Gendai (Aug 23-30). A one-time Mainichi Shimbun journalist posted in Seoul, Shigemura is introduced by the magazine as a leading authority on the Korean Peninsula. His latest book, released this month, is titled “The True Character of Kim Jong Il.” If true, the implications are potentially vast. Among them: former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s summit partner during...

Kim Jong Cheol Left off the Inspection Due to Absence of Leadership By Moon Sung Hwee, from Jagang in 2006 [2008-06-09 15:21 ] The "National Defense Committee Inspections," which began on April 20th mostly around Chongjin City in North Hamkyung Province left off for a reason of "farm supporting period" in mid-May. An observation has been proposed that the sudden evacuation of all inspectors from Chongjin is not due to the "farm supporting period, but due to "Kim Jong Cheol's absence in leadership. It has been relayed that Kim Jong Cheol, while staying in Chongjin since last March, led the...

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-12-25-Korea_N.htm?csp=34

N.Korea's Kim taps second son for major post-report Sat Nov 24, 2007 12:52am EST TOKYO (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has named his second eldest son to a major post, making him the top candidate to eventually take over as head of the reclusive state, a Japanese newspaper reported on Saturday. Kim appointed Kim Jong-chol as deputy chief of a leadership division in the ruling Workers' Party, the Mainichi Shimbun said, quoting sources close to the North Korean government. The appointment made him the most likely to succeed his father, the Mainichi said, given that Kim Jong-il once...

U.S. calls Kim Jong Il’s health a ‘concern’ North Korean leader’s diabetes, heart disease reportedly worsening By Robert Windrem Investigative producer NBC News Updated: 6:24 p.m. ET May 29, 2007 South Korean and U.S. intelligence officials confirm that the two countries are taking seriously recent reports of a deterioration in the health of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. The interest, first reported in South Korea’s Chosun Ilbo newspaper and confirmed by NBC News, is based on Kim’s month-long disappearance from view as well as internal reports that the 66-year-old is suffering from advanced diabetes and heart disease as well...