Holding Power
This has been a good year for conspiracy theorists. A good decade, perhaps, starting with 9-11. And closing out the decade, there is another theory being circulated in some quarters, that the death of North Korea's Kim Jong-il was carefully engineered. There are considerable discrepancies between the official version of the sad event and what actually occurred; where and when and how.It took fully two and a half days before the outside world was given notice of the death of the North Korean tyrant, beloved of his people. Who learned of their great deprivation at the same time the rest of the world did, through a delayed broadcast of the sorrowful event. Nor did the tragedy occur on a train while he was en route to spreading goodwill throughout his country.
The cause of his death could have been, as formally announced, a heart attack, reflecting his actual state of health. But it could also have been helpfully accelerated by 'elements within the regime' whose agenda would be furthered with his sped-up demise. His brother-in-law, for example, Jang Song-thack with whom Kim Jong-il had shared an on-again, off-again relationship.
Mr. Jang does not lack for connection within the military; his two high-ranking military brothers had left a legacy of insider status for their brother. He has also been a member of the country's central committee, and head of state security forces. And latterly, redeemed in relations with his brother-in-law, became an intimate adviser to him, and finally appointed mentor to his youngest son.
Mr. Jang was promoted to vice-chairman of the National Defence Commission, in conjunction with Kim Jong-un, his deceased father's inheritor-to-the-throne, having been made a four-star general. Where he exercised his militant-ruling streak by ordering an attack on a South Korean naval vessel, further estranging the two Koreas.
Kim Jong-il in his great wisdom, looking to his secure his succession, deemed it advisable to create a ruling triumvirate to guide the transition from his ascent to heaven and his son's ascent to Dear Ruling General by anointing his sister, Kim Kyong-hui, a general, and appointing her to the Politburo, with another trusted aid.
It's beginning to look a lot like administrative rule and therefore power, will lie heavily in the capable (whose political orientation remains little-known to the outside world) hands of Jang Song-thack, nursing Kim Jong-un into a role he may never be ready to assume.
The ruling generals may simply feel more comfortable with one of their own.
Labels: Heritage, North Korea, Political Realities, Societal Failures
posted by Pieface @ Saturday, December 24, 2011
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