Category Archive: Kim Jong-Un

Nov 12

Kim Jong-Un allowing North Koreans to visit relatives in China

Categories:

China, Economy, Kim Jong-Un, North Korea, Tourism

November 12, 2010

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DailyNK is reporting that North Korea, under the suggestion of Kim Jong-Un, has begun to allow its citizens to visit families in China. The move is heavily being hammed up the propaganda machine to bolster support for the heir apparent. Visits to South Korean families, or the import/export of South Korean goods via China are strictly forbidden, and Chinese authorities are contacted to confirmed that the North Korean tourist has family in the country. It seems the process for applying to visit China has also been made more efficient; previous attempts would take 3 to 6 months and required bribery to keep the wheels greased – the new process allegedly takes only 15-20 days.

Source: DailyNK

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/611

Oct 13

North Korea plotted to attack eldest son of Kim Jong-Il, China intervened

Categories:

China, Defection, Kim Jong-Un, North Korea, Succession

October 13, 2010

A South Korean government source has divulged that in January 2009, when youngest son Kim Jong-Un was tapped as a likely future successor to North Korean leadership, aides to the Youth Captain plotted an attack on Kim Jong-Nam. Kim Jong-Nam was once believed to be the favoured son for succession, until he was arrested in 2008 for trying to sneak into Japan on a forged passport. He has been living in Macau, a territory of China, since then. The intention of the attack was to silence the “loose-tongued” son from saying too much about North Korea’s politics to the outside world. It is unknown whether the intent was to assassinate Jong-Nam, or send a message of deterrence. China interrupted the plans by refusing to allow North Korea agents to attack Jong-Nam while on Chinese soil.

Source: Google News via AFP.

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/506

Oct 12

Kim Jong-Nam denounces third generation hereditary succession

Categories:

Kim Jong-Il, Kim Jong-Un, North Korea, Succession

October 12, 2010

Kim Jong-Nam, oldest son of Kim Jong-Il has decried the hereditary succession process underway in North Korea. Jong-Nam was once considered the prime candidate for a leadership handoff, but fell out of favour with his father after he snuck off to Japan under a fake passport (allegedly to visit Tokyo Disneyland). Quote: “Personally, I am opposed to the hereditary transfer to a third generation of the family… for my part, I am prepared to help my younger brother whenever necessary while I stay abroad.” Jong-Nam expresses hope that the younger Jong-Un can make the lives of the North Korean people better. He also states he has no regrets regarding the succession plan: “I wasn’t interested in it and I don’t care.” Jong-Nam currently lives a live of relative luxury with a family of his own in Macau.

Source: Yahoo! News via AP.

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/494

Oct 11

Massive military parade held for North Korean leaders

Categories:

Kim Il-Sung, Kim Jong-Il, Kim Jong-Un, Military, North Korea, Succession

October 11, 2010

In a huge publicity campaign for the newly annointed heir to the North Korean dynasty, a massive military parade was held in Kim Il-Sung Square in front of dozens of foreign journalists. (See: Louisa Lim’s and Melissa Chan’s Twitter feeds for liveblogging of two journalists suddenly invited to Pyongyang with many others to cover the events. The journalists were offered internet access at their hotel, and often neglected to follow many around the premises, contrary to past procedures as a visitor to the DPRK. Favourite tweet: “melissakchan: Asked one North Korean when he first heard of Kim Jong-un. He said about a year ago.”

Video of the parade including views of a weak (and mole-faced) Kim Jong-Il and heir Kim Jong-Un here:

Source: Images from AP and Reuters respectively, video from NOS.nl

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/490

Oct 08

Kim Jong-Un confirmed as next North Korean leader by official

Categories:

Kim Jong-Il, Kim Jong-Un, North Korea, Succession

October 8, 2010

Yang Hyong-Sop, vice president of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly, referred to Jong-Un as the “Young General” in a TV interview recently. “Our people take pride in the fact that they are blessed with great leaders from generation to generation,” Yang said. “Our people are honored to serve the great President Kim Il Sung and the great leader Kim Jong Il,” he added. “Now we also have the honor of serving young Gen. Kim Jong Un.” Things seem on the fast-forward now as yesterday’s speculations become today’s confirmations regarding the succession of North Korean leadership.

Source: NPR

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/480

Oct 05

Father and son attend military drills together; NK capable of jamming GPS

Categories:

Kim Il-Sung, Kim Jong-Il, Kim Jong-Un, North Korea, Succession, War

October 5, 2010

KCNA reports that both leader and son participated in watching the North Korean military drills. Kim Jong-Un has suddenly been quite prominent in North Korean media lately, and it is widely accepted that he is being groomed to succeed his father Jong-Il as the leader of the North Korea dynasty. Kim Jong-Un received key posts that effectively label him 2nd-in-command at a rare Korean Worker’s Party conference last week, while secrecy still shrouds his life prior to these promotions. Events such as this viewing of drills are similar to the father-son behaviour of Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il, travelling and leading together. Will there be shared leadership in the future while Jong-Il survives?

In related events, the South Korean defense minister reported to parliament that during the US-SK war game exercises in late August, their GPS reception was intermittenly jammed and interfered with by North Korea. The jamming equipment is alleged to be Russian in origin, and can operate on signals within 100km, which may pose a serious concern for South Korea military, who are dependent on guided weapons that utilize the technology. It is also believed that North Korea is also trying to export the technology to the Middle East.

Source: Yahoo! News via AFP / Yahoo! News via Reuters

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/470

Oct 05

Did Kim Jong-Un get plastic surgery?

Categories:

Kim Il-Sung, Kim Jong-Il, Kim Jong-Un, North Korea, Offbeat, Succession

October 5, 2010

Let me get this right out: I don’t think so. The Telegraph is speculating that Kim Jong-Un received plastic surgery in order to look more like the late Great Leader Kim Il-Sung, in order to inspire confidence in the North Korean people who have grown tired of Jong-Il’s mismanagement. The article goes on to state that he never resembled Il-Sung as a child, but I have only heard reports (and personally agree) that he looked just like Il-Sung as a youth (of course resembling the senior Kim as a child of the same age). I’ll buy that they fattened Jong-Un up to look more like him, but I think plastic surgery is a little over the top for succession speculation mongering. But who knows, this is North Korea we’re talking about after all.

Does he not resemble Kim Il-Sung in this popular “2nd most up-to-date” photo when he was around 17-18 year old?
Source: The Telegraph

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/461

Oct 04

Massive parade planned in honour of Kim Jong-Un

Categories:

Kim Jong-Il, Kim Jong-Un, North Korea, Propaganda, Succession

October 4, 2010

Following last week’s coming out party for heir-apparent Kim Jong-Un, a massive military parade is being planned for October 10, the 65th anniversary of the Korean Worker’s Party founding. A large scale military exercise is also planned for around the same time, and leader Kim Jong-Il is expected to be in attendance to watch.

Source: Yahoo! News via AFP

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/459

Oct 04

Flowchart of Worker’s Party Leadership

Categories:

Kim Jong-Il, Kim Jong-Un, North Korea, Succession

October 4, 2010

The Korea Times has a nice hiearchy chart displaying how the leadership of North Korea breaks down, including positions recently appointed during the Worker’s Party conference last week. Check out the link below.

Source: The Korea Times

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/457

Sep 30

Kim Jong-Unveiled

Categories:

Kim Jong-Il, Kim Jong-Un, North Korea, Succession

September 30, 2010

KCNA has released an image of newly promoted Vice Marshall Ri Yong Ho, alongside North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il and to his left, a man believed to be heir-apparent and also freshly promoted Kim Jong-Un. If this is confirmed to be Jong-Un, this is the first adult image of the future leader to be published outside of the DPRK. The round faced 27 year old very much resembles his father, former North Korean leader Kim Il-Sung. See below for the full image:

Photo courtesy of AFP PHOTO / KCNA.

UPDATE: New photos from KCNA TV screengrabs have appeared that are a little less grainy:

Video courtesy of the BBC:

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/436

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