PrintJune 7, 2010
North Korea sets up apparent regency for Kim Dynasty succession
With Kim Jong-il seriously ailing from an apparent stroke suffered 18 months ago, and his chosen heir still a little green, it looks like the regime is setting up a regency in preparation for dynastic succession when the Dear Leader passes on to his eternal reward.
The world's only communist monarchy seeks to ensure a new generation of family tyrant to ruin its people.
North Korea watchers must puzzle together data from various sources to infer what is going on within the secretive regime, and here is how the tea leaves are read:
Kim's brother-in-law, Jang Son Thaek, was promoted to a position widely regarded as second-in-command of the isolated communist state.
Jang is believed to be a supporter of Kim's third son, Kim Jong Un. North Korea watchers believe the new post will allow Jang to use his influence to bring the young man to power after his father's death.
This means that the regime could get even crazier upon Kim's death, and crazy is never good with nuclear weapons in the arsenal. There are potential rivals, no doubt, some within the Kim family. The temptation to escalate conflict in order to enforce national unity will increase, with all the potential for trouble between the regent and the young commie prince, a man already in his late 20s, but perhaps not as wily and experienced with the ins and outs of ruthlessly suppressing both the people and rivals within the command of the armed forces, police, and other means of repression.
