Kim Jong Nam, Kim Jong Il’s eldest son, has again criticized North Korea’s 3rd succession, Tokyo Shimbun reported today.
The newspaper revealed an email allegedly sent by Kim on January 3rd in which he stated, “Nobody in their right mind would find it easy to accept the 3rd generation succession. Doubts linger over whether 37 years of absolute power can be carried forward by a young leader after just two years of training.”
This is the first time Kim has expressed his thoughts on the situation in North Korea.
Commenting on the future, Kim reportedly stated, “It looks like the young successor will be allowed to exist as a symbol while the existing power elite carry on my father’s will,” before adding, “For the time being, North Korea will not change the military-first policy which keeps the military at the forefront.”
However, he did not comment on whether he attended Kim Jong Il’s memorial service in Pyongyang, although the South Korean authorities say there is the possibility that he was at the event on December 28th.
In another interview with Tokyo Shimbun in January of last year, Kim also criticized the hereditary succession for its feudal nature.
However, immediately following Kim Jong Il’s death in December, Kim declined to be interviewed on the basis that “There is potential for danger to my physical safety, so I will not reply to this request.”
