N. Korea: Lankov on the delay in the Worker’s Party conference

North Korean Economy Watch ^ | 09/13/10 | Andrei Lankov

[TigerLikesRooster]

Lankov on the delay in the Worker’s Party conference

/snip

First, it is possible that the North Korean elite is far less united than it is usually assumed, so some factions are seriously unhappy about the likely choice of successor and/or expected composition of the new leadership

/snip

Second, the delay might reflect something more sinister – the growing inability of Kim Jong Il to pass reasonable judgments and make rational decisions, his tendency to follow impulses and emotions. Indeed, in the last two years of strange and seemingly irrational things began to happen in North Korea with alarming and growing frequency, with its policy becoming more erratic.

/snip

Last but not least, it is also possible that Kim Jong Il is now too sick to make an expected public appearance at the conference (this view seems to be widespread in South Korean ruling circles).

[TigerLikesRooster]

P!

[bruinbirdman]

"it is not too difficult to house a couple of thousand representatives,"

There is no want for rooms:

Maybe the boys are cavorting at Chia Head's water park.

yitbos

[SevenofNine]

I think that hotel they didn’t finish bother to finish LOL! that eye sore in Pyongangang

[SevenofNine]

I think that hotel they didn’t finish bother to finish LOL! that eye sore in Pyongangang

[AdmSmith]

This is more serious than anticipated. In the speech by Hu Jintao at the Banquet dated August 30 he said:

A conference of the WPK will be held in Korea in the first half of September.

I, on behalf of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, wish a signal success to the WPK conference.

http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2010/201008/news30/20100830-22ee.html

This means that the postponent or what it is was decided after August 30! Have the MSM missed this?

[AdmSmith]

Sorry a minor correction, it was not August 30 it was 27;

Hu Jintao hosted a grand banquet in honor of Kim Jong Il on a visit to China at the Nanhu State Guesthouse in Changchun City in the evening on August 27.
http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2010/201008/news30/20100830-21ee.html

[AdmSmith]

My Korean is not what it should be, but at this page http://www.kcna.co.jp/daihyousyakai/daihyousyakai.html they are referring to several meetings for election of representatives and the dates are until Sept 5.

This is very strange, a postponement at the last moment!
http://www.kcna.co.jp/daihyousyakai/daihyousyakai.html

[AdmSmith]

They will probably start the Congress tomorrow Wednesday.

[AdmSmith]

http://www.chinapost.com.tw/asia/australia/2010/09/15/272565/N-Korea.htm

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks AdmSmith.