Category Archive: Kim Jong-Un

Aug 27

Carter, Gomes depart from Pyongyang

Categories:

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

August 27, 2010

Early friday morning, former US President Jimmy Carter got on a plane with a healthy and smiling Aijalon Gomes. Gomes was sentenced to 8 years in a labour camp and $700000 for illegally trespassing into North Korea from the Chinese border. Gomes appears to be in good health, however Robert Park, who was friends with Gomes, and trespassed into the North one month earlier, required psychiatric assistance after his release from the DPRK. It might be some time before we see any sort of interview from Gomes, but time will tell. Carter likely did not get an opportunity to meet leader Kim Jong-Il, who departed for China suddenly (possibly with heir apparent son, Kim Jong-Un) with speculations abound on his intentions.

Source: CNN

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/322

Aug 26

Kim Jong-Il visiting China again – with Kim Jong-Un in tow?

Categories:

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

August 26, 2010

Making his second trip to China since May, Kim Jong-Il has departed by train while former US president Jimmy Carter is in Pyongyang. Though details aren’t clear, Kim Sr. is already touring the middle school of his father Kim Il-Sung. South Korean media is reporting that heir apparent Kim Jong-Un is also travelling with Jong-Il, but this and the visit’s intentions are all entirely up for speculation. It is interesting to note that the Worker’s Party meeting, in which Kim Jr. is expected to be tapped for a high position in the party, is less than 2 weeks away. The elusive son is rarely presented in photographs (aside from pictures from his youth), so it will be interesting to see if any media images leak out as a result of this trip.

Jimmy Carter expected to meet Kim Jong-Il personally during his visit to free Aijalon Gomes, so it is also interesting that Kim’s rare trip out of the country coincides with this event.

Source: Yahoo! News via. AFP

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/316

Aug 06

Kim Jong-Un all but official…

Categories:

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

August 6, 2010

Vague references in the ongoing Arirang Mass Games, as well a report from Tokyo seem to indicate that the upcoming September delegates meeting will bring Kim Jong-Un to a high ranking position within the communist party. The 27 year old son of Kim Jong-Il will likely be taking on more of a leadership and policymaking role, and in September 2012 will probably be officially tapped as successor to North Korea’s leadership. And we still don’t have any good pics of him!

Source: Chosun Ilbo / Google News


Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/209

Aug 02

‘Dear Leader’ not so dear…

Categories:

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

August 2, 2010

kimjongilHwang Jang-yop, the highest ranking defector from North Korea, comments that most North Koreans are not as fond of Kim Jong-Il as western media might portray. He puts blame on South Koreans who support Kim Jong-Il. Hwang has previously lamented that 30% of South Korean youth do not blame NK for the sinking of the Cheonan last March. He also believes the succession of Kim Jong-Un to be primetime for a power struggle in the North, and markets may open up to the South leading to a smoother reunifications.

Source: Chosun Ilbo

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/179

Jul 30

Kim Jong-Il gifts officials with luxury cars

Categories:

Economy, Kim Jong-Il, Kim Jong-Un, Military, North Korea

July 30, 2010

160 luxury Chinese-made Mercedes cars have been given out by the “Dear Leader” to high ranking officials. This is notable because UN Security Council Resolution 1718 prohibits exporting luxury vehicles to the DPRK, and the gifts also come in wake of the September meeting of top party officials, where party loyalty is most certainly to be tested over the inevitable succession of Kim Jong-Un.

Source: DailyNK

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/141

Jul 28

A portrait of the Youth Captain for every home

Categories:

Kim Jong-Un, North Korea, Propaganda

July 28, 2010

More Jong-Un news from Open Radio: 10 million portraits are being prepared of Kim Jong Un, the 27 year old heir apparent to the North Korea throne. With these distributed, we’ll have one more picture of the new leader to add to the gallery of two.

Source: Open Radio for North Korea

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/98

Jul 28

Kim Jong-Il funnels money to son

Categories:

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

July 28, 2010

Open Radio for North Korea in Seoul is reporting that the Dear Leader is quietly transferring his personal wealth to his son, the inevitable successor to the North Korea leadership. Kim Jon-Un, age 27 is expected to be tapped as successor in an upcoming September meeting of delegates of top officials. I suspect we will be learning a lot more about the “Youth Captain” in the coming days and weeks.

Source: Google News via AFP

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/94

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