One member of a vocal forum on the situation in Northeast Asia believes that Kim Jong Il will cling to power until the day he dies, placing North Korea in a position of even greater instability than it already faces.
Jang Sung Min, a representative for the World and Northeast Asia Peace Forum spoke with Peace Broadcasting System radio on Thursday, “North Korea’s leadership is right now facing its most decisive crisis. According to Kim Jong Il’s ruling style, he will not pass his power on even a minute before he breathes his last.”
Jang went on, “North Korea’s succession structure is certain to be a castle built on sand unless Kim Jong Il dies at least five years from now, or denuclearizes completely and normalizes North Korea-U.S. relations.”
He continued, “Otherwise, whoever becomes the next leader will be an unfortunate who has to lead a country in the worst possible situation. Therefore, the question of the successful normalization of North Korea-U.S. relations will be the key to a stable succession.”
“However, North Korea’s intention is to hold on to their nuclear weapons, accomplish a stable succession, and then to obtain economic aid from international society and to normalize relations with the United States through a strategy of threats, plus to conclude a treaty of amity with Japan, then receive 10 billion dollars in reparations,” he explained.
“I doubt whether the third generation succession will be successful, even though Kim has succeeded in establishing a dynastic system,” Jang asserted.
He suggested one other possible scenario, “Kim may put up a different regime loyalist and give him practical power to govern domestically, while maintaining his young son as a symbolic leader under the dynastic system.”
