Following a flurry of missile firings and a nuclear test, North Korea Kim Jung-Il once again revealed why he is the leader of a nuclear power that cannot feed itself. He appointed his youngest son, 26-year-old Kim Jong-Un, as his successor.
The younger Kim is already known to North Koreans as “Commander Kim” with his own song for his countrymen to memorize.
Kim’s oldest son lost favor after he was caught trying to enter Japan in 2001 on a fake passport. He wanted to visit Tokyo Disneyland. The middle son is considered to effeminate to be a ruler in the male-dominated society.
That leaves Jong-Un, who would continue the Kim line of succession for three generations. Proving once again that North Korea is more of a despotic monarchy than a communist state serving the people.
Jong-Un attended school in Bern, Switzerland in the 1990′s. However, no one knew he was the Jung-Il’s son. Classmates remember Jong-Un as friendly and timid who used to help break-up fights. Now he is considered competitive and a heavy drinker.
The selection of Jong-Un helps explain the belligerence of Jung-Il lately. He was trying to position himself with achievements so that he could make the nomination of his son and have it accepted. Time will tell if the North Korean military is ready to accept someone so young, but if Jung-Il survives another 10 years, the likelihood increases. Of course, the real question is if a backward nation like North Korea can survive another 10 years amongst its prosperous neighbors in North Asia.
