As you probably already know, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il died earlier this week and his 28-year-old son will be moving into power. Kim Jong Un is known as the ‘great successor’ and the world really doesn’t know much about him.
What experts are saying is that we may start to see a huge power struggle in North Korea. Will the already secretive regime move into an even thicker shroud? No one is really sure. However, the young Kim’s grip on power may be shaky – we are all waiting to see.
Kim Jong Un has had very little experience in a position of power, despite that fact that his father anointed him about three years ago. The power struggle experts are half-expecting may come from the several other potential claimants to supreme authority in the country, and the military may step in and take control.
Why do experts think there may be this power struggle? Before his death, Kim Jong Il did very little to secure his son’s position in the dictatorship, unlike his own father, who groomed him for about twenty years. The North Korean public hardly knows Jong Un.
One thing is for certain: Kim Jong Un has been overseas and experienced other parts of the world. He moved to the United States to be educated. While this may give him a broader worldview, experts warn that we shouldn’t get too excited. He may not necessarily be any more tolerant than his late father.
The only thing we can do is wait and see. Will North Korea remain as it has been or will it move into a less dictatorial direction? What do you think?
Lance Grooms
