On the civilian level, there are people insisting on attending the funeral despite N. Korean stance: widow of Kim Dae-jung, chairwoman of Hyundai Asan, and people from Roh Mu-hyun Foundation. No surprise in this line-up. They are so predictable in their pro-North leanings. SK gov. said the first two can go if they wish (and NK relents and accept them.) However, they refused permission for the third. These folks are not spy material for S. Korea. If they are indeed spies, they would be working for NK regime, not SK gov. It remains to be seen if NK regime make exception for them, which is possible. They can manage small number of certifiably loyal foreigners.
Nothing would surprise me at this point. The Kims have some extended family with deep ties to old hard-liners. It would take very little for the Kims to get behind a military strong man and force a coup.
You make a good point, why wouldn’t NK allow its closest friends to show up and kowtow and swear loyalty?