"Dear Leader" may be very ill

[HelloHockeyFans]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...rnational/home

Western officials say there are signs that North Korea's unpredictable dictator may be gravely ill, after the man North Koreans call the "Dear Leader" apparently failed to show up at an important national celebration Tuesday.

Kim Jong Il's incapacity would have serious implications for the international effort to get North Korea to abandon nuclear weapons.

"There is reason to believe Kim Jong Il has suffered a serious health set back, possibly a stroke," a Western intelligence official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

[comrade]

It's rather bizarre to think that Kim Jong Il out of the picture actually increases the chances that North Korea pursues nuclear weaponry.

[troutman]

[MarchHare]

Does anyone know enough about North Korean politics to say who his potential successor might be? Will it be more of the same (or worse), or could Dear Leader's demise lead to democratic reforms or even potential unification with the South?

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

Does anyone know enough about North Korean politics to say who his potential successor might be? Will it be more of the same (or worse), or could Dear Leader's demise lead to democratic reforms or even potential unification with the South?

It will likely be a relative, just like the last time they had a leadership change.

I don't actually know for sure if they have a succession plan, but that is what I'd expect.

It's hard to say what might happen. If there is any kind of delay in naming a successor, it could give the public an opportunity to launch a revolution (with any luck).

[LChoy]

Sadly, most of the population is too hungry or sheltered to revolt. The ones that are more educated and well off are that way because they were taken care of by the government, and don't have the incentive to over throw the government either.

[CaptainCrunch]

ABC printed a story today with an interview with a Japanese professor that claims that Kim Jong has been dead since 2003 and they've been using doubles ever since.

I know that Kim Jong does have a son and in terms of succession, he's next in line to take the crown, but he never appears in public. Maybe he's a club footed freak.