[imText1]”The life of the Kim Jong Eun regime will not be long. Change in North Korea’s system is not far off,” NKnet researcher Kim Young Hwan told an event in Seoul on the 26th.

Giving a lecture to commemorate the “Republic of Korea Order of Civil Merit” honor he received earlier this month, Kim added, “It is time to prepare a little more actively for North Korean systemic change, this is the time to act.”

“The main reason why North Korea was able to maintain its system after the fall of Eastern Europe and China’s economic opening was because Kim Jong Il had the skill to maintain his dictatorial system and power,” he added. “It is doubtful whether Kim Jong Eun has obtained the same kind of dictatorial and ruling abilities in such a short time.”

“Kim Jong Il was an exceptionally talented dictator,” he reiterated. “Kim Jong Eun won’t have been able to inherit his father Kim Jong Il’s personnel management and ruling skills perfectly over such a short period.”

“Dictatorial skills aren’t something to be obtained overnight,” he pointed out. “Kim lived in the royal palace from when he was young, doing as he pleased and surrounded by brownnoses. This Kim cannot easily wield the kind of skill that Kim Jong Il had.”

Kim also pointed to problems with the consensual ruling system now in place, noting that such systems are in constant danger of fomenting disagreement and discontent.

“Given the extent to which Kim Jong Eun is reliant on his close relatives, it appears that not only is he incapable of improving his ruling ability or personnel management skills,” he said. “But, in particular, if Jang Sung Taek or Kim Kyung Hee were to suffer health or other problems and thus not be able to counsel him then this could cause serious problems.”

Kim also noted concerns over the way the regime has been making policy in its first year in office, noting that “They have been going back and forth over policy; bringing out a policy of a broadly reformist nature, then following that with an anti-reformist one.”

Yesterday’s event was attended by roughly 300 people.