Posted on 10/26/2010 8:04:55 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Kim Jong-il's eldest son suggested possibility of N. Korea's collapse: Seoul official
BERLIN, Oct. 26 (Yonhap) -- The eldest son of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, apparently estranged from his father who picked his younger brother as the successor, suggested Pyongyang would soon collapse, according to a source quoted by a South Korean official.
Lee Ki-taek, deputy chairman of South Korea's National Unification Advisory Council, said the source met Kim Jong-nam in Macao last month. Lee was visiting Berlin and giving a lecture on North Korea policy to a group of Korean residents.
When asked by the source why he would not return to North Korea when his father was ill, Kim Jong-nam was quoted as saying, "Why would I go?"
"I don't want to take over the baton," the 39-year-old Kim said, according to the source, apparently referring to the power succession in his home country. "(North Korea) is collapsing." Kim Jong-il, 68, has designated Jong-un, the youngest of his three sons, as the heir, promoting him to a military general and vice chairman of the ruling party's Central Military Commission at a party convention late last month. Outside observers say the power transfer was probably hastened by Kim Jong-il's reported stroke last year.
The senior Kim also inherited power from his late father and North Korea's founder, Kim Il-sung.
The eldest son is said to have fallen out of favor with his father, creating negative news as when he was caught attempting to enter Japan on a fake passport in 2001.
Earlier this month, Jong-nam told Japan's TV Asahi during an interview from Beijing that he is "against third-generation succession." He did, however, say that he hopes his brother will do his best to improve the lives of North Koreans and that he stands ready to help from abroad.
P!
ping....
I remember I asked you about possible NK-ROK reunification a while back.....
Maybe we can send 0000bbbbmmmmmaaaa over there to organize some communities.
Don't know if the collapse of N. Korea would be a good thing or a bad thing if they have nukes.
Anyone think that this son will defect?
There were nukes on East German soil.
He pretty much has. He lives in Macao and hasn't been back to NK is over almost a decade.
If he writes one “tell all” book he will be a very rich man!
I wonder if he has, also, seen Team America: World Police.
When the old man dies, it’s going to get ugly over there.
I predict the ChiComs will move in the keep the order.
OH Boy we going have Kill Bill Vol 1 finale soon in Chia Pet land LOL!
I wonder what dear old dad thinks about number one son?
Well, just like I said, in that case it was a good thing. But it could go the other way and have those nukes end up in the wrong hands.
Very true, that. But take heart in the fact that history shows the collapse of a country with nukes does not necessarily mean the use or abuse of those nukes.
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