Breaking Ranks

Kim Jong-Il's Son Opposes 'Dynastic Succession'

John Hudson Oct 12, 2010
Daddy won't like this. According to a Japanese TV station, the oldest son of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il is opposed to the "dynastic succession that would see his younger half-brother take power." As the BBC explains:

His comments are highly unusual in the secretive North. But he is not thought to have influence inside the country.

He was once thought to be his father's likely successor, but fell out of favour when he was caught trying to sneak into Japan in 2001 using a false passport.

"Personally, I am against third-generation dynastic succession," Kim Jong-nam was quoted as saying by Japanese TV station Asahi.

"But I think there were internal factors. I think we should adhere to it if there were internal factors involved."

He added that, "For my part, I am prepared to help my younger brother whenever necessary while I stay abroad."

Guessing at the source of Kim Jong-nam's position, Steven Taylor at Outside the Beltway quips "I am sure the fact that he fell from favor and was therefore passed over for the position has nothing to do with his position."Adding more details about Jong-nam, AOL's Lauren Frayer writes:
Kim Jong Nam's disapproval was probably expected. With a reputation for breaking North Korea's rules, the chubby, disheveled 39-year-old was passed over for his country's top job, now bestowed on a half-brother more than a decade his junior.

He now lives in the Asian gambling hub of Macau, where he has a playboy reputation -- or as close to it as a North Korean can get. The son of an actress, he lives off a $500,000 annual allowance -- from a nation where millions are believed to be starving -- that enables him to frequent five-star hotels and visit Moscow, Bangkok and Beijing, The Daily Telegraph reported.

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