Category Archive: Succession

Jan 28

Kim Jong-Il initially opposed hereditary succession

Categories:

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

January 28, 2011

jong-nam-2011

Kim Jong-Nam, the often outspoken eldest son of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il, has once again made public statements about North Korea’s upcoming 3rd generation hereditary succession. Jong-Nam, long believed by Pyongyang observers to be the favourite for eventually replacing his father but fell out of favour with North Korea after getting caught entering Japan with a fake passport to visit Tokyo Disneyland in 2001, has previously commented on his negative views of the succession process. Now the disowned son has some clarifications on those comments, including the new revelation that Kim Jong-Il himself disagreed with the anti-socialist concept of another hereditary succession:

[Hereditary succession] “does not fit with socialism, and my father was against it as well… My understanding is that [succession] was to stabilize the internal system. An unstable North Korea leads to instability in the region.”

Regarding his younger half-brother Kim Jong-Un, the favoured choice for the succession:

“I want him to take over the great works my father has done. I want him to enrich people’s lives… Those are my honest wishes for my brother. They did not mean to challenge or criticize him.”

Kim Jong-Nam currently has two wives and 3 children among them, and presumably visits between them in northern Beijing and Macau. He is apparently an avid gambler, enjoys living a life of luxury, and may have once been the target of an attack by North Korean agents for speaking too openly about the DPRK’s policies.

Source: Associated Press / Tokyo Shimbun

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/761

Jan 24

Public executions in North over South Korean leaflets

Categories:

China, Defection, Kim Jong-Il, Kim Jong-Un, North Korea, Propaganda, South Korea, Succession

January 24, 2011

Leaflet dropping via balloons released from South Korea to float into residential areas of the North have been commonplace for years in North Korea. The leaflets are often released by human rights groups from Seoul and contain details of the more comfortable lifestyle of South Koreans, truths about North Korea’s leadership, and sometimes money and shortwave radios. North Korean authorities dispatch teams to collect and destroy many of these leaflets, and encourage people who have found them to turn them in without reading them, and report anyone who is seen reading them. Often the punishment for being caught will be time spent in a “re-education” camp, or a lighter sentence may be imposed if bribes are accepted.

In a clear example to North Koreans that reading these leaflets or pocketing their contents is unacceptable, officials in Sariwon in North Hwanghae Province gathered 500 people to witness the execution of a 45 year old woman accused of reading the pamphlets and a high ranking soldier for pocketing money from a balloon. The families of both executions were then sent to labour camps.

Recently, North Korean soldiers killed 5 and wounded 2 defectors, chasing them right across the Chinese border and shooting them on Chinese soil. The increased punishment for dissidence may be seen as a warning to those opposing the 3rd generation succession process, as son Kim Jong-Un slowly gets his feet wet under father Kim Jong-Il’s tutelage in Pyongyang.

Source: The Chosun Ilbo (2)

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/755

Jan 13

Analysis: Escalated provocations from North Korea in 2011

Categories:

China, Diplomacy, Economy, Kim Jong-Un, Military, North Korea, Nuclear, South Korea, Succession, USA, War

January 13, 2011

Famed North Korea analyst Andrei Lankov has an interesting analysis of the events that unfolded on the Korean peninsula in 2010, and what this may lead to in the new year. In a nutshell: in response to a more hard line stance from the US and South Korea, North Korea has spent the last 3 years manufacturing hostility on the Korea peninsula. A ramped up nuclear programme complete with detonation tests, the sinking of the Cheonan in March 2010 and the artillery shelling of Yeonpyeong Island this past November are all major events aimed at getting the US/SK to warm up to a return to diplomatic discussions. These talks historically result in the North receiving food and construction supplies from their enemies – their primary survival strategy.

However, this strategy didn’t work this time. The US is still not willing to negotiate, and the South has demonstrated that they can enact elaborate military exercises without reprisal from the DPRK (despite countless threats of war if they proceeded). As war would likely quickly devastate either side, North Korea has backed down from its threats, perhaps to execute a counter-offensive at a time of its own choosing. Relations with China remain stable, but aid from their only real ally may not be enough to boost the economy enough to bolster support for future president Kim Jong-Un. 2011 may be the year North Korea really pushes the envelope; a potential third nuclear test fire, development of intercontinental ballistic missiles, and border skirmishes are all possibilities to increase the stakes in a calculated (and perhaps desperate) attempt to get everyone back around the negotiation table.

Source: Asia Times Online

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/745

Jan 09

Happy Birthday, KJU: North Korea social media sites hacked

Categories:

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

January 9, 2011

image

Watching this drama unfold from my phone but not having the capacity to post about it troubled me, despite enjoying a mini-vacation with the missus this past weekend. Her birthday, coincidentally enough, coincides with Kim Jong-Un’s… and they are likely the same age (28) as well!

The momentous occasion had many DPRK observers wondering what kind of shindig the North Korean leadership would throw for the dynastic leader-to-be. North Korea’s national holidays are the birthdates of their past and current leaders, grandfather Kim Il-Sung and father Kim Jong-Il. The day passed with no formal event, however it is highly likely that political cadres showered the 4-star General with luxurious gifts to establish loyalty to the young successor.

South Korean hackers had other plans for Kim Jong-Un’s birthday, however. Hackers from SK based discussion forum DCInside.com apparently gained control of North Korea’s official Twitter and Youtube accounts, posting tweets slanderous to the Kim regime and a humourous and topical video of Kim Jong-Un driving over starving North Koreans in his sportscar.

The video (set to Super Mario World music) has, of course, been pulled, but North Korean Economy Watch has posted it on their Youtube account for posterity. The video is actually pretty well produced, referencing a recent train derailment in North Korea where 8 rail cars carrying luxury gifts for Kim Jong-Un derailed, in a possible domestic terrorist attack (though another possibility could be a degraded railway infrastructure…). Check out the video for yourself:

Source: North Korean Economy Watch

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/740

Dec 04

Portrait of Kim Jong-Un discovered by Canadian tourist?

Categories:

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

December 4, 2010

A contemplative Kim Jong-Un, walking through Central Europe, daydreams about his motherland of North Korea. The portrait above, discovered in an art gallery in the Rason region of North Korea by a Canadian tourist, is believed to be the first outsider look at Kim Jong-Un propaganda and helps us speculate on the mythology being prepared to deify the future leader. Likely representing Kim Jr,’s studies abroad in Switzerland, the portrait shows him looking very much like his grandfather, the immortalized Kim Il-Sung.

The Globe and Mail article quotes B.R. Myers, author of The Cleanest Race and a PhD in North Korean literature:

“It goes to the heart of what will be the regime’s main problem in glorifying the boy, namely the fact that he was overseas during at least part of the famine or [so-called] Arduous March. The regime is for some reason loath to let foreigners see this nascent personality cult,” Prof. Myers said. “We have seen footage of [Kim Jong-un], and of course we can see him on the TV news every few days … but we know next to nothing about how the regime is articulating his biography. This painting offers important insight into what kind of mythobiography the regime is either planning or is already teaching the masses in party meetings, study meetings etc. outside the view of foreign visitors.”

He noted that the young man in the painting was gazing at the sun rising in the east, another suggestion that North Korea consumed his thoughts, even while he was far from home.

However, another North Korea expert, Andrei Lankov believes this artwork to be an older portrait of Kim Il-Sung, set in the 1920s (Thanks @LiberateLaura). The evidence is substantial for either claim, but we will have to wait and see as North Korea’s propaganda machine begins work to glorify the youthful leader-to-be.

Source: The Globe and Mail

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/702

Nov 17

Kim Jong-Un purging “lazy” officials

Categories:

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

November 17, 2010

jong_un_cool_parka

Flexing his newfound power muscles, Kim Jong-Un has allegedly been purging lax officials from the military, according to a North Korean defectors’ group. Sources from the North have reported that officials who have been turning a blind eye to defections and smuggling have been cracked down upon by the heir-apparent to the North Korea dynasty. A total of 15 “heavyweight” officials have been purged thus far. If true, the move can be seen as a sign that the younger Kim will use fear as a tactic to gain loyalty from officials in order to secure a smooth transition to power in the future.

Source: Yahoo! News via AFP

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/620

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 09

North Korea opens up to foreign journalists prior to massive parade

Categories:

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

October 9, 2010

Quite suddenly, many journalists were offered visas to enter the reclusive country, presumably to report on the upcoming military parade described as being “Kim Jong-Un’s Coming Out Party”. The young General was also seen with his father at the Arirang Mass Games. Follow Louisa Lim’s Twitter page as she is one of the journalist allowed into the country. Apparently, the airport staff weren’t prepared for the sudden deluge of foreign journalists. One minder of the group described their visit as “unprecedented”. Louisa has previously been to Pyongyang around this time last year.

Source: NPR

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/484

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