Collective rule governs North Korea

Posted on by

After the death of Kim Jong-il at the end of 2011, and the rise of his untested young son Kim Jong-un, North Korea appears to have shifted to collective rule from the strongman dictatorship it has been.

Kim Jong-un is indeed at the head of the ruling coterie, a source with close ties to Pyongyang and Beijing has said, and added that the military has pledged allegiance to the unproven Kim Jong-un.

This is a course what many analysts have anticipated — North Korea being governed by a group of people, though this is the first time for this approach since North Korea was founded in 1948.

North Korea’s collective leadership appears to include Kim Jong-un, his uncle and the military, sources said. Kim Jong-un’s uncle, Jang Song-thaek, 65, is the brother-in-law of Kim Jong-il, and likely the power behind the throne, along with his wife Kim Kyong-hui, Kim Jong-il’s sister.

Also anticipated by Korea watchers to be highly involved was Ri Yong-ho, the chief of the military. However, in July of this year, Ri Yong-ho was relieved of his military and political duties, after more than 53 years of service.

So although only months into his reign, from this and other changes it appears that Kim Jong-un could be flexing his political power muscles.

 

This entry was posted in , by Grant Montgomery.

« »

6 references to “Collective rule governs North Korea”

  1. Introducing Mr and Mrs Kim Jong Un of North Korea | North Korea Refugees on said:

    […] appeared to be a carefully choreographed appearance aimed at showing Kim Jong Un as a friendly, modern leader, no different from the heads of other countries. It also provided a […]

    Reply
  2. New North Korean leader Kim Jong-un distancing himself from former regime? | North Korea Refugees on said:

    […] who was invited to North Korea by Jong-un, said North Korea is really being run by Kim Jong-un’s aunt Kim Kyong-hui and his uncle Jang Song-ta…. “Although Kim Jong-un was chosen as the successor, only one out of every 10 policies he […]

    Reply
  3. North Korean power player Jang Song-thaek visits China | North Korea Refugees on said:

    […] Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s uncle and the man seen as the power behind the young and untested leader went to Beijing on Monday, the latest signal that the reclusive state is looking seriously at ways […]

    Reply
  4. More purging of the Old Guard anticipated in North Korea | North Korea Refugees on said:

    […] and foreign policy influences and continued efforts to secure his grip on power beyond his wife, Kim Kyong-hui,” the sister of Kim Jong-il, he […]

    Reply
  5. Aunt of North Korean leader, and wife to Jang Song Thaek, had fatal stroke after her husband was executed | North Korea Refugees on said:

    […] Her husband, Jang Song Thaek, was executed in December, shocking many observers around the world. Jang, the younger leader’s uncle by marriage, was considered instrumental in his rise to power…. […]

    Reply
  6. Aunt of Kim Jong Un no longer appears on list of ruling North Korean elites | North Korea Refugees on said:

    […] Jong Un’s once powerful aunt is no longer included on a list of top Pyongyang officials, six months after speculation swirled […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.