Keyword: death of kim jong il

It would be understandable if, observing the post-Kim Jong Il era, the United States, China, South Korea and Japan saw more peril than promise. However, the history of North Korean negotiation indicates a small possibility of progress toward peace on the Korean peninsula and North Korea’s denuclearization.

The King is dead! Long live the King! The old European cry when a monarch died and a new one took over was meant to prevent any argument over succession and make sure the throne was never empty. And this could just as well apply to North Korea today. Kim Jong Il had already a year before he died anointed his successor, his youngest son Kim Jong Un.

The news out of North Korea that leader Kim Jong Il has died, while surprising, is not completely unexpected. Faced with serious health concerns over the last few years, the North Korean leader began to put in place a plan for his son to take over the reins of power.