Power will now go to General Kim Jon-un, who was already was involved in the Yeonpyeong island attack. I don’t expect him to be nicer than his father. I just think that he will lack legitimacy. Kim Jong-un will survive as long as the Chinese feel they must support him. Given the protests in China, and the collapsing housing market, I’m not sure they will allow any changes.
Both the Chinese and South Koreans are terrified of millions of NoKo refugees pouring over their borders, so I suspect South Korea and China are working together behind the scenes to try to solve the ‘North Korea Problem.’
The problem with the sons of despots is that they lack the (for waht it’s worth) earned stature of their legendary parents. I do not think that Stalin’s son would have held the Soviet Union, plus the sons of other dictators lack the strong fist that their parents always do. They are usually pampered playboys and are unable to be taken seriously by the hardline generals. I read that his son wants to be more hardline (via Daily Mail) and I am not sure just how more hardline one can be. If the Generals don’t at all like or respect him, he might end up in front of a firing squad.
Thanks rmlew.