Friday, October 1, 2010

North Korea's heir: Kim Jong-un?



Kim Jong-un, the youngest song of Kim Jong-il, was promoted as four-star general in the People’s Army and was named a deputy chairman of the military commission of the Workers’ Party on Sept. 28, 2010. 
His rise in status has made many question whether Mr. Kim considers him as the most qualified heir.
Up to today, no one really knew much about him except that he is descirbed to being as man "in his mid-20s, of medium height, overweight and prone to high blood pressure and suffering from diabetes, and with character traits similar to his father’s."



On sept 30th, pictures of Kim Jong-un finally released to the public ( front row to the left) revealing that prior descriptions were correct.

Due to Kim Jong-il's recent health failures, there is much motivation for him to begin presenting his son as the new leader.
 When Kim Il-sung suddenly died in 1994, fear of instability consumed Norht Korea. Although  Kim Jong-il immediately took his father's place and the country did not collapse, North Korea's economic performance deteriorated sharply and millions of North Koreans are thought to have starved to death during Kim Jong-il’s erratic tenure.
What I am wondering is besides that fact that he is a Kim, what qulifies Kim Jong-un as a possible candidate as a new leader?  Unlike his father who had 14 years between his political introduction in 1980 and his father’s death, Kim Jong-un has little to no politicle experince. If Kim Jong-il really does collapse, will the country be prepared for yet another transition?

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