Posted on 01/05/2007 10:58:11 PM PST by TigerLikesRooster
Kim Jong Il Bans Succession Talks
JANUARY 05, 2007 07:18
According to a Mainichi Shimbun report on January 4 datelined Beijing, North Korea’s Chairman of the National Defense Commission Kim Jong Il has banned discussions in Pyongyang’s leadership concerning his successor, expressing his will to continue exercising real power as the prime leader for the long term.
The report stated that late in October last year, right after the nuclear test, he proclaimed in front of the executives of the Workers’ Party of Korea that “I can still work for a long time as the top leader. Even in my 80s or 90s, I still can (rule).”
Mainichi Shimbun quoted an authority close to the Pyongyang regime who said that the executive members have interpreted Kim’s words that he intends to stay in the frontline of decision-making for the next 15 years and wants nobody to talk about succession. The source commented that such discussions have totally disappeared afterwards.
His successor has been considered to be one of his three sons: Jong Nam (35) born from his relationship with the film actress Song Hye Rim (died May 2002), and Jong Chul (26) and Jong Woon, born from his relationship with Ko Young Hee (opinions exist that she died too in June 2006). Kim Jong Il’s brother-in-law Jang Sung Taek, the First Vice Director in Organization & the Capital Development Department of the Workers’ Party of Korea, has also been rumored as one of the likely candidates.
Meanwhile, the newspaper reported that in late November last year, Kim Jong Il issued orders to cancel celebration events on his own birthday (February 16) and only to commemorate his father Kim Il Sung’s (April 15).
The talk of succession inevitably leads to high officials forming rival factions around competing successors. Ensuing power struggle could undermine N. Korean political system, especially when it is in seriously weakened state as it is now.
Ping!
Is it ever possible to reliably predict what this man will do?
Since succession remains an objective fact whether it is being talked about or not, succession-related factions among high officials are inevitable. The only thing he could accomplish is to drive it underground - to an extent.
yes. he will do everything he could to remain in power.
Yeah.... there is that..lol.
To quote Mel Brooks....
It's good to be the King!
We have got a LOT to look forward to: the apparently mentally ill Kim Jong Il, getting even more mentally ill, and senile until his planned retirement at 90. Probably the ONLY dangerous nation on Earth where just could happen that way.
The whole reason for these talks to start in the first place was the various little episodes that the supreme ruler has demonstrated...where he is total nut. The government is likely prepared to move ahead with the next guy and just accept it. Anything might be better than having an absolute nut in charge.
Right. He doesn't give a damn about his people and reportedly, he's in bad health physically in addition to his mental illness. IOWS -- he's a time bomb we must all fear and constrict.
So much for the "absolute power of dictators".
There can be no doubt that Kim Jong il saw this footage. I think he must be a very insecure man.
Moving from safe house to safe house, dacha to dacha, never staying at any one place for very long, for fear of being plugged by one of his assistants, must take a toll on a man's vigor and general life outlook.
And whoever it is had better be prepared to sign a peace treaty with the UN, and open the nation to trade with the rest of the world.
Kim is a short timer for this world. I give him 2 more years tops , before soomeone does him in.
As well as the folks who were having those discussions I'll wager.
L
The laughter will be quiet at first but will rise in tempo..
Eventually the people will laugh themselves sane..
Cartoons cross language and even dialect lines..
Thats WHY the Muslim Mullahs despise cartoons..
Even if you cannot read... "YOU GET IT"...
Lots of tyrants don't like to have an obvious successor, since it gives the successor's faction a motive to "advance" their candidate, if you know what I mean.
It is true that succession arrangement could create slow-motion "lame duck" process. Kim Il-sung himself was basically relegated to Kim Jong-il's adviser in his final years. He tried to reassert his control when he realized that N. Korea's situation turned out to be far worse than his underling told him to be. It reportedly led to nasty verbal exchange with Kim Jong-il and died not long after. Some allegation says Kim Jong-il killed him, but it is not exactly clear how Kim Il-sung died.
Such power-leak could create power struggle between a leader and his anointed successor, which could be just enough to bring down N. Korean regime these days.
However, the process of picking a successor would bring it down, before we even have a chance to watch an anointed successor create troubles.
Some cartoons require no captions..
OH MAN seriously Tiger
I doubt dude live to be 90
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