Kim’s concubine emerging as key in North’s leadership

Joong Ang Daily ^ | 9/13/08 | Chae Byung-geon

[swilliams53]

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is known to have recovered enough to brush his teeth himself, about a month after he is believed to have suffered a stroke and had brain surgery. But it remains to be seen whether the Stalinist leader will be able to maintain his tight grip on the country.

Now a growing number of sources familiar with Pyongyang politics are saying Kim Ok, Kim’s longtime secretary who is also known to be his concubine, is making many of the country’s policy decisions on Kim’s behalf.

“We believe that Kim has recently started brushing his teeth himself, though he still has difficulty walking,” said one senior Seoul official who declined to be named.

The official, however, said the South Korean government is still keeping a close eye on the Pyongyang presidential palace since Kim, notorious for his decadent lifestyle, is known to be vulnerable to medical maladies.

[swilliams53]

He is still so ronery!

[shield]

He is such a pathic little man.

[Mamzelle]

I have always loved the word, “concubine” and wish it were more commonly used in the West.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Kim's concubine.

[Pearls Before Swine]

No, Krinton’s concubine.

[Moonman62]

Kim’s concubine...

Worst job in the world.

[dfwgator]

I thought the cleaning lady was his concubine.

[keithtoo]

Poor Monica Lewinsky. She serviced the wrong Hero of the Worker’s Struggle against the dark forces of Capitalism.

[savedbygrace]

I thought the cleaning lady was his concubine.

More like his Conch Shell.

[TigerLikesRooster]

She now controls access to Kim Jong-il She decides who gets to meet Kim. It is an enormous power when he was sick and confined to a room or bed.

This is the classic palace intrigue. Furthermore, she is reportedly ambitious and ruthless. She gets to have say in how succession would shape up. All competing faction may want to reach out to her, and she must be weighing her options.

Of course, Kim Jong-il would know all this is happening. Whether he is well enough to manage this situation is another matter.

[Kirkwood]

I’m OK, you’re OK, but she’s definitely not OK.

[CaptRon]

“We believe that Kim has recently started brushing his teeth himself,

Which is probably more than he did before the stroke.

[miele man]

What a hoot! I was just thinking of Ms. Lewinsky when I read the article. Just think, she too could have been making policy. She’d have much more “executive” experience than Obama.

[MrEdd]

[Lancey Howard]

Huh.... I wish I had a few concubines.

[racnpartsales4u]

and I thought Lindsay Lohan would never amount to anything....

[dr_who]

How is this information getting out of Kim’s compound, much less North Korea?

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

Kim, notorious for his decadent lifestyle, is known to be vulnerable to medical maladies.

Delicate wording here.

[fieldmarshaldj]

That's Sam's concubine.