… As reported in the Washington Post. Kim Jong Il took power in 1994 on the death of his father, Kim Il Sung. Now, Kim Jong Il’s son, Kim Jong Un will become dictator of North Korea.
Have you read the breakthrough novel of the year? When you are done with that, try:
In Search of Sungudogo by Greg Laden, now in Kindle
or Paperback
*Please note:
Links to books and other items on this page and elsewhere on Greg Ladens' blog may send you to Amazon, where I am a registered affiliate. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, which helps to fund this site.
or Paperback
*Please note:
Links to books and other items on this page and elsewhere on Greg Ladens' blog may send you to Amazon, where I am a registered affiliate. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, which helps to fund this site.
This is a country that is consuming itself with hatred and fear. Something has to give. I think we may be looking at the last Great Leader for Life in North Korea.
I drink a toast and dance a jig, whenever one of these tyrants die. Maybe Fidel is next.
How long ago did he really die? I have trouble believing this was reported in a timely manner knowing how repressive that country is.
Also, read Hitchens’ essays on North Korea in his book Arguably. They are quite fun.
Remember what happened in Soviet Russia when Stalin died? Everyone who shared very close political allegiances to Stalin defected and Russia is now thriving.
Unfortunately, I donâ??t think this is going to happen in North Korea. Kim Jong Il inherited power after his father, Kim Il Sung died in 1994. I think his son Kim Jong Un will probably take control now.
Maybe one day the people of North Korea will be given their change for freedom?
Kim Jong Il’s father (Kim Il-sung – the founder of North Korea) anointed him heir apparent many decades in advance of hi ascension – this gave Kim Jong Il many years to sort out supporters from non-supporters and to cement the relationships needed to govern. Kim Jong-un has only had 2 years to do the same – the chance of a coup d’etat is very high at this point – a cha nce for the millitary to have both de facto and de jure rule over the country. I would not be at all surprised to see both China and the US along with possibly Russia step in militarily(cooperatively) to try and secure the nukes should that happen.
Yes, I get it. Kim Jong Il was a tyrant who maintained his power through fear, ignorance, brutal ideological and political control, serfdom and nepotism. Anyone with a conscience and even a nominal hope for humanity will see some chance that his passing will bring some level of relief to the people of North Korea.
On the other hand his death is not a promise of any great liberalization. Anyone thinking things can’t get worse is demonstrating a lack of imagination. There is some chance we will look back at Kim Jong Il’s death as the first spark of a major conflagration. WWI started as the assassination of a seldom heard of leader in a far off nation and WWI was essentially the dress rehearsal for WWII.
I tend to keep my enthusiasm down to the level of ‘guardedly optimistic’.