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Neither Mission nor Prudence in Kim's Expression By Park Seong Guk [2012-02-09 11:12 ] Kim Jong Nam has revealed more about the rule of Kim Jong Eun and his view of the future of North Korea in previously unreleased e-mails between he and Tokyo Shimbun editor Yoji Komi . “In that young man’s expression I can see neither the mission nor the prudence of a man who has become the successor to a troubled country like North Korea, nor the expression of a man worrying about a future vision for the state,” Kim is quoted as saying in one of...

5 – North Korea Implosion or Explosion Don’t be fooled by stories of how smoothly the transition is proceeding in Pyongyang. The first rule of analyzing North Korea—it’s the world’s most opaque regime and no one really knows what’s going on inside—has not changed. Maybe things really are going smoothly. Maybe they’re already off the rails. We do know that North Korea is a nuclear power, that provocation is its traditional foreign policy tool of choice, and that North Korean collapse is the likeliest way to bring American and Chinese soldiers face to face in an unpredictable and dangerous security...

Kim Jong-nam Resurfaces in Beijing Former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's eldest son Kim Jong-nam has resurfaced in Beijing a month after his father's death. He was spotted by South Koreans including Park Seung-jun, a professor of Chinese Language and Literature at Incheon University, waiting at Terminal 3 of Beijing Capital International Airport for an Air China flight to Macau on Saturday afternoon. Kim Jong-nam was wearing a padded navy blue jacket, jeans and a light-blue baseball cap. He was alone. Witnesses spotted Kim in the Air China business lounge searching the Internet on a computer. Asked if he had...

Economic reform takes backseat in North Korea January 02, 2012 By YOSHIHIRO MAKINO / Correspondent SEOUL--A Politburo meeting may signal a change in the decision-making process in North Korea--but that's about all expected to be different in the short term under Kim Jong Un's rule. Kim has shown increased dependence on the military as he tries to secure his position as North Korea's new leader. This approach will make it difficult to reform the nation's anemic economy or implement an open-door policy that could help the people. Kim, who on Dec. 30 was named supreme commander of the military, inspected...

Kim Jong Un pins his survival on N. Korean military December 31, 2011 By YOSHIHIRO MAKINO / Correspondent SEOUL--The relationship between Kim Jong Un and the country's military appears to be unsettled, with the inexperienced North Korean leader trying to keep the generals happy while at the same time keeping them in check. In the "military-first" policy created out of fear by his father and former leader Kim Jong Il, the military exerts great influence over the country's civilian leadership. On Dec. 30, the National Defense Commission announced that Pyongyang will maintain its hard-line policies. A South Korean government official...

The Signs Are Bad, and Time Is Short By The Daily NK [2011-12-30 09:52 ] On Thursday, ten days of mourning for Kim Jong Il was wound up. Internally, there have been no signs of anything out of the ordinary since Kim’s sudden death was announced on December 19th. In content and style, the mourning process was very similar to that of Kim Il Sung, up to and including the wailing mourners. Although international observers have long held concerns about the new leader, twenty-something year old Kim Jong Eun, the North Korean authorities have not taken long to proclaim him...

Who Is in Charge of N.Korea's Nuclear Weapons? New North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is taking control of the renegade country's nuclear weapons, Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin told the National Assembly's Defense Committee last Tuesday. "It also seems that Kim Jong-un has the final say on nuclear weapons considering that the power is being handed over to him now," he added. Kim Jong-un is vice chairman of the Workers Party's Central Military Commission, which now commands the military. A South Korean intelligence officer said the North Korean military attaches the greatest importance to the nuclear arms, and Kim Jong-un is...

Purges 'Ensure Kim Jong-un's Succession' A series of executions and unexplained deaths since North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's son Jong-un was anointed heir to the throne in January 2009 were apparently meant to remove obstacles to the transition. Kim senior instituted several bloody purges to ensure his iron grip on power since he officially took over from his own father in 1994. The most prominent example is perhaps the death of Ri Je-gang, a former senior deputy director of the Organization and Guidance Department and a close aide to Kim Jong-il who oversaw key military appointments for more than two...

December 26, 2011 Jang Song-taek Cements Position in N.Korean Regime Jang Song-taek, the uncle and patron of new North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, appeared on state TV on Sunday dressed in full military uniform for the first time. Until now, Jang had only been spotted in a suit and tie. Korean Central TV broadcast footage of Kim Jong-un and Jang paying their respects to dead leader Kim Jong-il, who lies in state at Kumsusan Memorial Hall in Pyongyang. Jang's insignia confirm his military status as a four-star general in addition to his existing titles of vice chairman of the powerful...

Kim Jong-il's Brother 'Under House Arrest in Pyongyang' North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's half-brother Pyong-il, the North's perpetual ambassador to Poland, is rumored to have been under house arrest since he arrived in Pyongyang in May. A source familiar with the North's internal affairs on Thursday said Kim Pyong-il is under house arrest because Kim Jong-il's son and heir Jong-un and his followers are maneuvering to hold him in check. "Anyone who is believed to pose an obstacle to Kim Jong-un's succession, even members of his own family, is subject to elimination," the source added. Experts say Kim Jong-un is...

Al-Qaeda names Zawahiri to succeed bin Laden By Lynne Nahhas (AFP) – 7 hours ago DUBAI — Al-Qaeda on Thursday named Egyptian surgeon Ayman al-Zawahiri to succeed slain leader Osama bin Laden and vowed no let-up in its deadly "jihad" against arch-foes the United States and Israel. "The general command of Al-Qaeda announces, after consultations, the appointment of Sheikh Ayman al-Zawahiri as head of the group," the jihadist network said in a statement posted on an Islamist website. Zawahiri, the group's long-time number two, succeeds bin Laden who was killed by US commandos in a May 2 raid in Pakistan....

Kim Jong-il puts son and sun on agenda during China mission North Korean leader seeks support for anointed successor and visits solar energy plant as guest of Beijing officials Jonathan Watts in Beijing guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 24 May 2011 12.30 BST The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-il, is exploring the potential of solar energy amid a debilitating dispute over his country's nuclear power programme. On a visit this week to China, North Korea's main ally and aid donor, Kim requested a tour of a solar photovoltaic manufacturing plant in Yangzhou between meetings with senior Communist officials and a trip to a...

Furry Hat Offers Clues to Progress of N.Korean Succession North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's son and heir Jong-un is already being treated with the same level of protocol as his father. A senior South Korean government official last Friday said Kim Jong-un seems to have moved up to the same rank as his father. "The most conspicuous sign is that Kim Jong-un has started wearing a top-quality furry hat that only Kim Jong-il has been wearing so far," the official added. Kim junior wore the same hat as his father in video clips showing Kim senior's so-called on-the-spot guidance trip...

/begin my excerpts Kim Jong-eun's Intensifying Purge of N. Korean Military Lee Myung-sung 2011-01-10 As New Year starts, N. Korean military is in the middle of inexplicable personnel reassignment and purge drive Our source inside N. Korea reported on Jan. 8 that the number of inmates is suddenly swelling at (Jang-hyun-dong) Military Prison. It is under the control of Defense Ministry and located at Jang-huyn-dong Valley, Kimchaek City, North Hamkyung Province. It is right below Machon-ryong Pass. Lately many of (incoming) inmates are former generals purged by Kim Jong-eun. /snip The source said that common soldiers and company (mid-level) officers...

North’s succession will be rocky, says report January 08, 2011 Since the public debut of Kim Jong-un as chosen successor to North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, there has been speculation that the succession process itself could be tumultuous because of Kim Jong-un’s youth and inexperience. According to a yearly report from the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU), there could be conflict and a scramble for power among the North’s elite in 2011 if Kim Jong-il steps down or dies. Kim Jong-il’s third son, Kim Jong-un, sensing a threat to his future leadership, could act to stabilize his ascension this...

January 7, 2011 Low Profile of an Heir Reinforces a Mystery By MARK McDONALD SEOUL, South Korea — When he was introduced to the public in September, Kim Jong-un appeared destined to succeed his father, Kim Jong-il, as the leader of North Korea, an irascible, destitute and nuclear-armed nation. But a growing number of experts in Seoul are beginning to question whether he has been fully certified, despite his elevation to a high military rank and the urgency created by his father’s poor health. “There are some minor but real reasons to ask if we are rushing our judgment about...

Jong-un’s birthday is now holiday, says report December 24, 2010 North Korea has declared a public holiday to mark the birthday of leader Kim Jong-Il’s youngest son, a report said yesterday, as the regime grooms him to take over power from his father. Good Friends, a Seoul-based welfare group with contacts in the North, said the propaganda department in the northeastern city of Hoeryong had since mid-October held lectures for ruling party secretaries at each factory, workplace and public institution. The lectures, among other topics, mentioned the accomplishments of “Young General” Kim Jong-un “as well as the honor and pride...

Military Escalation in Korea CPA Contingency Planning Memorandum No. 10 DOWNLOAD THE FULL TEXT OF THE MEMORANDUM HERE Overview Further provocations by North Korea as well as other dangerous military interactions on or around the Korean peninsula remain a serious risk and carry the danger of unintended escalation. Moreover, changes underway in North Korea could precipitate new tensions and herald a prolonged period of instability that raises the possibility of military intervention by outside powers. This Center of Preventive Action Contingency Planning Memorandum by Paul Stares analyzes potentially dangerous crises that could erupt in Korea due to the atmosphere of...

N. Korea's heir mentioned second to father among state funeral organizers SEOUL, Nov. 7 (Yonhap) -- Mentioning his name ahead of all other senior officials', North Korea announced Sunday that Kim Jong-un, the 20-something son of leader Kim Jong-il, would aid his father in organizing a funeral for a powerful military officer who died earlier this week. The sequence -- placing Kim Jong-il's third son ahead of the Cabinet premier, the chief of general staff and the defense minister -- is the clearest signal yet that Kim Jong-un is officially in line to take over from his 68-year-old father. Kim,...

Executive Order--Order of Succession Within the Department of Justice By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998, 5 U.S.C. 3345 et seq., it is hereby ordered that: Section 1. Order of Succession. Subject to the provisions of section 2 of this order, the following officers, in the order listed, shall act as and perform the functions and duties of the office of Attorney General, during any period in which the Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney General, the Associate Attorney General,...

The White House Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release November 04, 2010 Executive Order--Order of Succession Within the Department of Justice By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998, 5 U.S.C. 3345 et seq., it is hereby ordered that: Section 1. Order of Succession. Subject to the provisions of section 2 of this order, the following officers, in the order listed, shall act as and perform the functions and duties of the office of Attorney General, during any...

Kim Jong-il's oldest son against North Korea dynastic succession The eldest son of Kim Jong-il who was passed over in favour of his younger brother in the race to succeed his father as leader of North Korea, has said that he opposes the idea of a dynastic succession in the secretive Stalinist state. By Peter Foster in Beijing Published: 9:20AM BST 12 Oct 2010 Kim Jong-nam, 39, who lives in the gambling hub of Macao and was once said to be too "wayward" for the leadership, said he did not approve of the hereditary principle that saw his 27-year-old half-brother...

NKorea's Kim, heir apparent son at lavish parade Published October 10, 2010 | Associated Press Clapping, waving and even cracking a smile, Kim Jong Il's son and heir apparent joined his father Sunday at a massive military parade in his most public appearance since being unveiled as North Korea's next leader. Kim Jong Un, dressed in a dark blue civilian suit, sat next to his father on an observatory platform at Kim Il Sung Plaza as tanks carrying rocket-propelled grenades and long-range missiles rolled by as part of celebrations marking the 65th anniversary of the reclusive state's ruling Workers' Party....

(2nd LD) N. Korea vows to bolster nuclear deterrent to counter U.S. threat NEW YORK/SEOUL, Sept. 30 (Yonhap) -- North Korea will not give up but rather bolster its nuclear deterrent as long as the United States threatens the communist nation, a senior diplomat from Pyongyang said Wednesday. Vice Foreign Minister Pak Kil-yon made the remark during a keynote speech at the U.N. General Assembly in New York, claiming that the North's nuclear weapons are for self-defense, not for attacking or threatening others. "As long as the U.S. nuclear aircraft carriers sail around the seas of our country, our nuclear...

09-15-2010 17:38 'North Korea delays Workers' Party meeting' By Kim Se-jeong North Korea appears to have postponed its meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party due to internal problems, according to observers here. It has been widely speculated that the meeting, which would have been the biggest political gathering in 30 years, could take place early Wednesday. Yonhap News Agency, quoting anonymous sources from North Korea, reported that the authorities there had informed international organizations operating in Pyongyang that the meeting would be delayed due to floods. “It appears that the flood damage had a severe effect on public opinion toward...

Kim’s poor health sets back meet, says source September 14, 2010 A deterioration in the health of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has delayed a long-awaited Workers’ Party meeting in Pyongyang, a South Korean government official told the JoongAng Daily yesterday. But Kim is not ill enough for the meeting to be canceled altogether and it will be convened soon, said the official, who asked not to be identified. The communist leader’s health worsened after his unexpected visit to China last month, according to the source. Kim was expected any day to preside over a meeting of the Workers’ Party,...

Kim Jong-il's Heir 'Met Chinese President' North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's son and heir apparent Jong-un met Chinese President Hu Jintao during a recent trip to China, North Korean sources claimed Friday. They said Jong-un, escorted by a team of three bodyguards, accompanied Kim senior on his China tour but traveled in a separate vehicle from his father and behaved as if he were a member of the entourage to avoid exposure to the press. Kim senior introduced his son to Hu and other Chinese leaders at a dinner in Changchun, Jilin on Aug. 27, the sources said. At the...

The Trouble with Kim Jong-il's Succession Kang Chol-hwan The North Korean party elite have recently felt the country is at something of a historic turning point, with regime change just around the corner. Leader Kim Jong-il believes that the only way for him to maintain his power is to establish the hereditary succession of his son, but it is doubtful whether the entire party agrees. Ri Je-gang, the first deputy director of the Workers Party's Organization and Guidance Department, the prop for Kim Jong-il's heir apparent, recently died in a mysterious car accident, and Pak Jae-kyong, the deputy director in...

'NK Mass-Produces Badges, Portraits of NK Heir-Apparent' [2010-08-16, 14:30:19] Open Radio for North Korea says North Korea mass-produced badges and portraits of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il’s third son and heir-apparent, Jong-un. The Seoul-based radio station that broadcasts programming for listeners in the North quoted a senior government source as saying Monday that the Mansudae Art Studio was ordered by a superior authority to mass-produce badges and portraits of the heir-apparent at the end of April. The report said the badges and portraits are expected to be given out as gifts to high-level officials during a meeting of senior members...

Palestinians, who have longed for freedom for over 40 years, should declare independence On July 22, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion on the following question posed to it by Serbia: "Is the unilateral declaration of independence by the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government of Kosovo in accordance with international law?" By a 10-4 majority, the court ruled that, because "general international law contains no applicable prohibition of declarations of independence", Kosovo's declaration of independence in February 2008, coordinated with and supported by the American and most EU governments and subsequently recognised by 69 countries, "did not violate...

New North Korean Leader Could Rule By September Daily Beast Jul. 23, 2010, 3:51 PM As N. Korea rattles its saber at the U.S., American intel agents are racing to learn more about Kim Jong Un, who may succeed his ailing father as leader within weeks. Philip Shenon reports on the wave of executions that has Korea watchers on edge. The CIA is scrambling to gather every scrap of information it can find on the youngest son of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il in the belief that the Swiss-educated, Hollywood-loving, Nike-wearing son could take over for his ailing father...

Future U.S. Spy Chief Warns of More Attacks from N.Korea North Korea's sinking of the South Korean Navy corvette Cheonan in March could herald a "dangerous new period" of direct attacks by the North on South Korea to advance its goals, the future U.S. intelligence chief warned Tuesday. In a written answer in a Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing, the nominee for director of national intelligence James Clapper said, "The most important lesson for all of us in the intelligence community from this year's provocations by Pyongyang is to realize that we may be entering a dangerous new period when...

N. Korea may formalize power transfer from Kim Jong Il to 3rd son, analysts say By Chico Harlan and John Pomfret Sunday, June 27, 2010; A09 TOKYO -- North Korea announced Saturday that it would hold a rare meeting that analysts predicted would herald the rise of Kim Jong Un, a son of ruler Kim Jong Il, as the new leader of the isolated Stalinist dictatorship. Official state news media reported that delegates from the ruling Korean Workers' Party would meet in September to select a new party leadership. Analysts said the gathering had all the hallmarks of a similar...

North Korea's Worker's Party Calls Conference By Jeong Jae Sung [2010-06-26 17:19 ] North Korea has summoned a Chosun Workers’ Party delegates conference in early September, the first such event in 44 years. Chosun Central News Agency (KCNA) reported the news today, quoting a decision of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Party whereby, “The Politburo of the Central Party summons a delegates conference of the Chosun Workers’ Party at the beginning of September, 2010 to elect the leading apparatus of the Workers’ Party and reflect new demands for the revolutionary development of the Party, which is facing...

N.Korea's Rule of 4 North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's brother-in-law Jang Song-taek was appointed vice chairman of the powerful National Defense Commission on Monday, making him the effective No.2 in the Stalinist country, South Korean media reported on Tuesday. But defectors who were high-ranking officials in North Korea said Jang was promoted to join a core quartet centering around O Kuk-ryol, also a vice chairman of the NDC, along with Kim Yong-chun and U Dong-chuk. Defectors and sources in North Korea said power is being divided up as Kim Jong-il's health deteriorates, and at the center of the new power...

Jang Sung Taek's Star Ascends Again By Kim So Yeol [2010-06-07 18:09 ] The unexpected third meeting of the 12th Supreme People’s Assembly was held today, the 7th, just two months after the second meeting on April 9th. In the meeting, Jang Sung Taek was designated Vice-chairman of the National Defense Commission at Kim Jong Il’s suggestion, according to the Chosun Central News Agency (KCNA). Additionally, the Premier of the Cabinet was replaced, with Choi Young Rim taking over from Kim Young Il. Choi Young Rim was formerly Chief Secretary of the Party in Pyongyang, and is a member of...

North leader’s son denies asylum rumors Kim Jong-nam gives first interview to South media June 07, 2010 Kim Jong-nam, the eldest son of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, waves as he leaves his first-ever interview with South Korean media. By Shin In-seop MACAU - The reclusive eldest son of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il gave his first-ever interview to South Korean reporters last Friday after being tracked down at a hotel in Macau, China. Although Kim Jong-nam said little in the brief exchange, he denied rumors that he has been trying to seek refuge in Europe since allegedly coming under...

June 6, 2010 China snaps at its junior princelings Public anger is growing at the wealthy offspring of the communist elite who are poised to inherit their parents’ power Michael Sheridan THEY may look bland, studious, glamorous or dowdy, but the generation of younger men and women rising to power in China have two things in common — perfect ancestry and lots of money. They are the new generation of “junior princelings” who stand to inherit power and wealth from their parents, the aristocracy of the communist system. Their influence is everywhere. As strikes spread and workers fight for higher...

03/17/2010 12:23 NORTH KOREA Kim Jong-il grooms a "bulldog" as heir by Joseph Yun Li-sun On April 15 the portrait of Kim Jong-un, third son of North Korean dictator and heir apparent will be publically unveiled. But the father, who fears being murdered, at the same time is promoting another child and giving him the weapons to hold off the heir to the throne. Pyongyang (AsiaNews) -A few days ago North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il appointed his second son, Kim Jong-chul (see photo), vice chairman of the Department of Organization and the leader of the Workers' Party of Korea. This...

Kim Jong-il 'Has 3 Years to Live' North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has only three years to live based on all medical information compiled so far, Assistant U.S. Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell told South Korean officials. Campbell made the comments in a closed-door meeting during his trip to South Korea last month, sources said. Campbell invited three North Korean defectors, Liberty Forward Party lawmaker Park Sun-young, Democratic Party leader Jang Sang and Daily NK publisher Han Ki-hong to the U.S. embassy last month to discuss the political situation in North Korea and the...

Activist says N.Korea prepares portraits of successor Sat, Mar 13, 2010 AFP SEOUL - North Korea has been churning out portraits of leader Kim Jong-Il's youngest son as the communist state moves closer to a dynastic succession, an anti-Pyongyang activist said Saturday. Lee Young-Hwa, head of the Tokyo-based Rescue North Korean People Urgent Action Network (RENK), told Yonhap news agency that the North is preparing to distribute Kim Jong-Un's portraits as it readies to present him publicly as a successor. "We've received information that the North has prepared Kim Jong-Un's portraits en masse," Lee told Yonhap. "The North is apparently...

/begin my translation N. Korea: Name Change Ordered for those with First Name ‘Jung-un’ [Despite dire economic situation, preparation for Kim Jung-un's succession is well in progress] According to Feb. 15 phone conversation with our source at Danchon District in S. Hamkyong Province, N. Korean regime is currently ordering that everybody whose first name is 'Jung-un' should change it, as a part of Kim Jung-un's succession process. According to the source, local party committees and citizen's registration offices are individually summoning those with Jung-un as their first name and ordering them to change it. There are 20~30 people with such...

Kim Jong-il's Oldest Son 'Faces Perpetual Exile' North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's eldest son Jong-nam has reportedly been excluded from his father's birthday celebrations for the second year running. "A family gathering was held to celebrate Kim Jong-il's 68th birthday on Tuesday, with third son Jong-un in attendance," a North Korean source said. "But there are no signs that Jong-nam flew to Pyongyang from Macau or China, where he lives." Kim Jong-nam was in Pyongyang between July and September 2008 after his father collapsed with a massive stroke. But he has been living in exile since January 2009, when it...

N.Korea marks Kim jr's birthday as holiday: reports (AFP) – 20 hours ago SEOUL — North Korea celebrated the birthday of leader Kim Jong-Il's youngest son Friday as a holiday, moving closer to a dynastic succession of power in the communist state, reports and analysts said. State media remained silent but the birthday of Kim Jong-Un, who turned 27 on Friday, was reported to be a national holiday by Open News for North Korea, a website and broadcaster in Seoul. Special educational sessions were held Thursday for party members and residents in Pyongyang and other cities to stress loyalty to...

Word is being reported that the Communist Government of North Korea is preparing people to celebrate JANUARY 8TH, as the birthday of Kim Jong-il son and heir apparant Kim Jong-un. This is the first time there have been public reports of celebrations or observances of such a birthday.No word yet on any DPRK speeches, songs or other commemorations, but it remains to be seen if he is elevated in any way as additional steps to transfer power to him. Already there are reports the notoriously lying North Korean media is faking sonny boy's true age and getting him into his...

Chinese officials who deal with the North Korean government report that there is still no official decision on who will succeed the sickly North Korean leader. Generals and Communist Party officials discreetly are lining up behind the oldest son (a playboy, but ruthless and power hungry) and the youngest (smart, and young enough to be controlled by a committee of older officials, for a while, anyway). Since there has been no official announcement about who the heir is, if Kim Jong Il died tomorrow, there could be a power struggle, that could get very violent. There are indications of that...

On CSPAN, Just announced that the final Vote will happen by Mid-night

Canadians favour Prince William to become king Published Tuesday November 3rd, 2009 Poll | Prince Charles not as popular A7 The Canadian Press OTTAWA - A new poll suggests the majority of Canadians would prefer to see Prince William become King, not his father. The Canadian Press/Harris-Decima poll, released Monday, asked 1,000 Canadians about their thoughts on the Royal Family. Forty-one per cent said they would rather see Prince Charles pass off the throne to William rather than succeed Queen Elizabeth himself, while 31 per cent believed Charles should be King. Doug Anderson, senior vice-president for Harris-Decima, said it was...

NKorea's Kim angry with son 2009-09-23 20:21 Kim 'in control' Tokyo - "Friction" has developed between North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il and his youngest son, who has been touted as most likely to take over the isolated communist state, a Japanese news report said on Wednesday. An angry Kim has even ordered state news agencies to temper praise of Kim Jong-Un and talk of any succession, Japan Broadcasting Corp (NHK) said on its internet news site.

Kim Jong-il 'Has Not Appointed a Successor' North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is well and has not appointed a successor, the North's no. 2 official claimed Thursday. Kim Yong-nam, president of the Presidium of North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly told Japan's Kyodo news agency Monday, "The matter of inheriting the revolutionary traditions is important. But this has nothing to do with the successor issue." "There has been no talk of succession at this moment," he added. Kim Yong-nam was interviewed in Pyongyang. He denied reports that Kim Jong-il has appointed his third son Jong-un as his heir apparent, which he...