Posted on 09/16/2008 7:59:41 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Kim Jong-il's Eldest Son 'Leaves N.Korea'
Kim Jong-nam (37), the eldest son of North Koreas apparently ailing leader Kim Jong-il, reportedly left Pyongyang and arrived in Beijing last weekend, it emerged on Tuesday.
A South Korean government source said Kim Jong-nam was in Pyongyang to attend celebrations of the countrys 60th anniversary on Sept. 9, and he flew to Beijing by Air Koryo with others, probably last weekend.
There is speculation that Kim Jong-il must be on the mend if Jong-nam, a potential candidate to take power in case his father is incapacitated, has left Pyongyang. But a South Korean official familiar with North Korean affairs said, "It's possible that Kim Jong-nam may have left Pyongyang for a while for personal reasons. There is no reason directly to link his travel to Beijing with Kim Jong-il's health."
?
Still, there are lot going on behind the scene. The course of future E. Asian geopolitical landscape may be being decided now.
" His sons have not been groomed or designated to be the heir, which suggests that it would be very difficult for them to easily step into the role of the supreme leader. More likely, they would be a figurehead for much more powerful figures behind the scenes.
Kim Jong-nam has, by all reports, not been in North Korea very often over the last several years since he was kicked out of Japan. As the first son, he would be the one wed expect to be the heir apparent. But its very difficult to build a patronage system and maintain alliances within the regime if youre outside of it.
The other two sons, Kim Jong-chol and Kim Jong-un, are both in their 20s. Kim Jong Il started being groomed as successor in 1963 when he started to accompany his father on military guidance inspection tours. He became the heir apparent in the early 1980s and replaced Kim Il Sung in 1994 upon his fathers death. So, that was a 30-year period of preparing to become the successor, and none of the sons has had that sort of experience. "
yitbos
It was many years before the starvation of the populace of NK became general knowledge. With a super secret society such as NK, who knows what is happening there.
As do many potentates
he never believed he would die, or become incapacitated. Therefore, no need to groom a successor.
"A succession crisis could also lead to warlordism within North Korea as provincial leaders seek to carve out areas of control, and they may have access to weapons of mass destruction. This could possibly lead to a civil war within the regime that could be very destabilizing. If this regime implodes and collapses, having some sort of soft landing, where you would have an eventual reunification, could get really complicated." Reading the Tea Leaves in Pyongyang
yitbos
I think family feud brewin Tiger<<<
I think you might be correct.
Or is he safely out of the country, in case trouble develops, maybe from the starving people?
Bump.
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