Filed under: North Korea | Tags: BBC, Bill Clinton, euna lee, journalist, Kim Jong Il, laura ling, Madeleine Albright, missile, North Korea, nuclear, president, United States
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8182716.stm
Bill Clinton is reported to have met with Kim Jong Il recently in an unannounced trip to North Korea. He was involved in the freeze on nuclear activity during his Presidency, so maybe he still has influence now? Who knows. Maybe he is there for the two journalists? Either way, he is the highest profile American to visit since Madeleine Albright in 2000.
Filed under: North Korea | Tags: Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il, military, North Korea, power, president
As scary as North Korea is now…I wonder what will happen once Kim Jong Il is dead. Who will take over? Some say it is his third son. Some say the military would take over. Who knows. Kim Jong Il is 67 now, but his health seems to be rapidly decreasing. I saw a video the other day where he looked extremely frail. When his father Kim Il Sung died, the transfer of power was very interesting.
Kim Jong Il was the de facto president after his father’s death for a three-year time period. He didn’t actually succeed to a new position right away. By doing this, it further deified Kim Il Sung, and helped to solidify the rule of the Kim family. After the three-year period, Kim Jong Il took power. Although now it is less of a one-man rule system even than when his father was in control.
Should be interesting!
Photo from Eric Lafforgue on Flickr
