Kim Jong Il is dying

[Sionnach Glic]

Report says North Korean leader has pancreatic cancer
Last Updated: Sunday, July 12, 2009 | 11:50 PM ET Comments42Recommend20
CBC News
A July 8 frame grab taken from footage shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-il during a memorial marking the 15th anniversary of the death of his father, North Korean founder Kim Il-sung, in Pyongyang. A July 8 frame grab taken from footage shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-il during a memorial marking the 15th anniversary of the death of his father, North Korean founder Kim Il-sung, in Pyongyang. (Reuters/KRT)

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has pancreatic cancer, a South Korean broadcaster said Monday.

Kim was diagnosed with the illness last summer, around the time he suffered a stroke, Seoul's YTN television reported, citing information by unnamed Chinese and South Korean intelligence sources.

The leader's health is one of the most closely guarded secrets in North Korea.

Kim is 67 years old and was widely believed to have suffered a stroke, but there has been no official confirmation.

He looked gaunt during a public appearance last Wednesday at a memorial for his father and state founder Kim Il-sung.

The report cited the officials saying the disease is "threatening" Kim's life.

Pancreatic cancer is usually found in its final stage, and considering Kim's age, he is expected to live no more than five years, the report said.

South Korea's spy agency said it could not confirm the television report. Unification Ministry spokesman Chun Hae-sung told reporters he knows nothing of the report.

The communist leader's health raises questions about succession and who will control the country's nuclear weapons program.

The South's spy agency believes that Kim's third and youngest son, Kim Jong-Un, is sure to inherit North Korea, Seoul's Chosun Ilbo daily reported Monday. But the regime under the son is expected to be unstable and vulnerable to internal political strife as Kim Jong-il's brother-in-law, Jang Song-thaek, could try to snatch power, the paper reported.

The North has conducted several nuclear tests, including a volley of seven ballistic missiles on July 4.

North Korea also fired a long-range rocket that it said was a satellite in early April and on May 25 conducted its second underground nuclear test following the first in late 2006.

The UN Security Council punished Pyongyang with tough sanctions centred on clamping down on North Korea's alleged trading of banned arms and weapons-related material.

Kim has been in power since 1994 when his father died.

Source, and a recent picture of him.

[Teaos]

Bad news, he's a known element. His possible replacement isnt.

[Sionnach Glic]

Hell, that's assuming the transfer of power will go smoothly. I'd put money on the country collapsing into a civil war as the various generals and politicians scramble to take control.

[Nutso]

Can a god ever really die?

[Sonic Glitch]

Can a god ever really die?

A photon torpedo seemed to have done the job....

On the other hand, the whole "what happens with his replacement" thought didn't occur to me. Suspicion seems to be that he's trying to gear his son up for a transfer of power, but what would a N. Korea deep into Civil War do for the international picture?

[Sionnach Glic]

Probably cause everyone else, particularly in South Korea, to freak out. KJI, however crazy he may have been, was at least rational enough to realise that if he pushed too hard he'd end up dead and with NK destroyed.
If we get someone who isn't that well connected with reality or, even worse, who grew up listening to the NK propaganda about how no nation could ever beat them, then they might actualy try something. That would mean a lot of deaths.

[Aaron]

I suspect you'll the senior generals seize the reins after he dies. I know he has a designated successor but I trust the military to have a more even handle on the actual situation then anyone he's picked to take over, they'll likely know that NK can't maintain it's status indefinitely and if the nation suffers a severe enough disaster to cause a revolution or uprising, they know they'll be first against the wall.

[Sionnach Glic]

Indeed. If anything they may try and tone it down a bit.

[Tyyr]

I hope its a slow (put not too slow) and painful demise. I mean that. I hope he suffers and dies in agony. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

That said I am nervous about his successor but I think the odds are good the next guy will tone it down. He's either going to have to tone it down or watch his country starve and fall apart.

[Nutso]

That said I am nervous about his successor but I think the odds are good the next guy will tone it down. He's either going to have to tone it down or watch his country starve and fall apart.

That'll be easy for the successor to do. He won't have to see the poor starving and dying. He'll be sitting fat and happy in his mansion.

[Foxfyre]

I'm nervous about the successor to, this is going to be intereasting.

[Tsukiyumi]

I'm nervous about the successor to, this is going to be intereasting.

It's already a powder keg. This is certainly going to be interesting, one way or the other.

[Lazar]

From what I've heard, the successor is supposed to be Kim Jong Un, his youngest son.

[Tsukiyumi]

From what I've heard, the successor is supposed to be Kim Jong Un, his youngest son.

Poor Kim Jong Bob. Always overlooked.

[Sionnach Glic]

My bet's on KJU either being knocked off or becoming a puppet for the military.