In the wake of the announcement of the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il on December 19, the nation is moving fast to reorganize its political system led by successor Kim Jong-un. The Rodong Sinmun newspaper, the official daily publication of the Workers’ Party, said on December 24 that North Koreans hold comrade Kim Jong-un in high esteem as their supreme commander of the military and their general, pledging to uphold his military-first leadership. The supreme commander of the North Korean People’s Army is one of the top three posts his father Kim Jong-il assumed, along with the general secretary of the Workers Party and the chairman of the National Defense Commission. The North Korean media have also begun to call Kim Jong-un the general secretary of the party. According to Dr. Oh Gyeong-seop at the Unification Strategy Studies of the Sejong Institute, those titles demonstrate inside and outside the nation that the new North Korean leader has, in effect, gained control of the military and the party as well.

North Korean authorities call Kim Jong-un the supreme commander of the military in an effort to minimize a possible political vacuum caused by Kim Jong-il’s sudden death. Kim Jong-un has exercised power on nearly the same standing as his father’s since he was tapped as successor. The theories of leadership and successor in North Korea state that the heir-apparent has almost the same status as the top leader. It is only natural that Kim Jong-un was in the right place to be selected as the supreme commander of the military and the general secretary of the party after the former leader’s death. To reduce a period of a political vacuum, North Korea is expected to take necessary procedures to have the younger Kim, now serving as the vice chairman of the Workers’ Party’s Central Military Commission, assume those posts as well.

Meanwhile, North Korean Central TV aired footage of Jang Song-thaek, vice chairman of the National Defense Commission, paying his respect to the late leader Kim Jong-il at the Kumsusan Memorial Palace. It was the first time that Jang was seen dressed in full military uniform. The insignia on his epaulettes indicates his military status as a four-star general. It seems that the military rank was hastily given to Jang, who had never been granted the title of general before. The emergence of Jang as an influential military figure suggest that he has started serving as the regent overseeing Kim Jong-un’s new regime.

Jang Song-thaek is Kim Jong-il’s brother-in-law and Kim Jong-un’s uncle. He has served the Workers Party for a long time. Under the Kim Jong-il regime, Jang was pointed out as a guardian to support the junior Kim, and he seems to be playing that role now. The former leader appointed Jang as vice chairman of the powerful National Defense Commission. Now, the new leader has conferred him the title of general, in an apparent bid to officially confirm that Jang is his guardian and to lend his weight to Jang.

Jang’s wife and Kim Jong-un’s aunt, Kim Kyong-hui, was 14th on the list of Kim Jong-il’s funeral committee, but she was seen in the front line on North Korean Central TV. Like Kim Jong-un, she was promoted to four-star general last year. The three-person group consisting of the Jang-Kim couple and Ri Yong-ho, chief of the Army’s general staff, is expected to play a pivotal role in managing state affairs down the road. North Korea has also suggested that Kim Jong-un will rule the nation in accordance with the teachings of his father for the time being. The Rodong Sinmun daily said Kim Jong-un should follow the teachings left by the late leader Kim Jong-il and move forward on a path of the revolutionary ideology of juche or self-reliance, while stressing that comrade Kim Jong-un’s leadership is the decisive guarantee to accomplish the feat. The comment is interpreted as a declaration of a third-generation power transition. Why is North Korea underlining the need to continue the instructions of the late leader?

Kim Jong-il himself followed the teachings of his own father. After the death of his father Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il promised to carry out his father’s policies that had not been completed when he was alive for the next three years after his death. The purpose was to secure his legitimacy as the nation’s top leader and strengthen his power base by using his father’s charisma. It’s uncertain whether Kim Jong-un will declare and implement the same ruling principle, but it is highly likely that he will follow suit. That is because the young leader’s power base is still weak and he lacks legitimacy for now. Kim Jong-un may follow the instructions of his late father as a means of seeking legitimacy, highlighting that he will inherit the ruling mechanism of his father and grandfather.

Attention now turns to whether Kim Jong-un will continue the old policies that had been pushed under the former Kim Jong-il regime. Dr. Oh continues to explain.

When it comes to the nuclear issue and inter-Korean relations, the new leader will likely inherit some policies of his father rather than adopting a new one. That is, the younger Kim is expected to resort to a strategy of combining inter-Korean dialogue and military provocations properly. On one side, Kim’s goal will be concentrated on eliciting cooperation from South Korea and receiving economic aid as much as he can. On the other side, Kim should show the military, the ruling elites and the public that he can overpower South Korea any time. So, it is possible that Kim may use military provocations in a strategic move to demonstrate his confidence.

Experts predict that Kim Jong-un will maintain Kim Jong-il’s military-first politics for the time being, while focusing on cementing his power base through cooperation with the ruling elites. Pyongyang has repeatedly stressed the self-proclaimed goal of building a “strong and prosperous country,” which is the deceased leader Kim Jong-il’s long-cherished wish. The Rodong Sinmun newspaper argued that people can build sublime loyalty by realizing the great leader’s ardent wish. The North Korean Central News Agency also reported that the efforts toward that goal were underway in the Mansudae construction site in Pyongyang. Here, again, is Dr. Oh.

North Korea will, as planned, declare 2012 as a year of ushering in a strong and prosperous nation. The envisioned nation North Korea is dreaming of consists of three elements. Pyongyang claims that it has already built a political power and a military power. One remaining goal is to become an economic power. That is why North Korea has been making efforts to resolve economic problems. Even in a dire economic situation, Kim Jong-un argues, through various propaganda activities, that a strong and prosperous country has already been completed and praises his father Kim Jong-il for making such a remarkable achievement. The junior Kim admits that some tasks remain unsettled in the course of building an economic power, but he promises to address them by carrying out various policies aimed at improving the economy. He will possibly seek to secure his legitimacy by demonstrating to his people that he is making great efforts to improve their livelihoods. With an aim to become an economic power, Kim Jong-un may push ahead with reform policies more aggressively than his father did.

North Korea is spurring a power succession to Kim Jong-un. The new North Korean regime and its ruling principle should not follow the same old path of the past but move in a positive direction toward regional peace.


[Interview]Year-End Party for N. Korean Newcomers
With cheerful music resounding, people keep laughing and cheering. The host of the event announces that the party has started. A year-end party is in full swing here in Hanbit Social Welfare Center in Sinwol-dong, western Seoul, where North Korean defectors living in the Yangcheon District and local residents mingle together. The welfare center has hosted the event for the last seven years. Social worker Choi Jae-gyeong tells us more details.

Today, we’re holding a year-end party for North Korean newcomers, under the sub-theme of “Christmas Party in Hanbit Village.” We’ve been holding this year-end party each year. Most newcomers, whose hometowns are in North Korea, have relatively few friends and acquaintances here in South Korea. This party is also an opportunity for them to meet with their fellow North Korean expatriates. They’re having a good time here, exchanging greetings and sharing their stories with one another.

The party was attended by some 250 people, including North Korean defectors, volunteer workers and South Korean citizens who reviewed the past year and talked about their dreams for the New Year. Various programs were prepared to help the defectors, who still find South Korean society rather unfamiliar, experience the culture and spirit of the year-end season here. For example, the participants received Christmas presents, which were offered by a local clothing manufacturer, and made their New Year’s wishes during a tree-lighting ceremony.

As a sponsor, a local firm provided about 1,500 pieces of women’s clothes, which were given to North Korean expatriates in the district as Christmas gifts. They were all new clothes. Also, we lit up the Christmas tree and called it the tree of wishes. Participants wrote down their hopes, dreams and wishes, and were given the message that they can grasp their dreams if they give their efforts.

The party also featured a talent contest in which the North Korean entrants showed off their diverse talents. Some sang songs they learned in South Korea enthusiastically, while others were amusing themselves by sharing the stories about their hometowns or imitating the sounds of animals. There was also a dance performance by students from a volunteer group. Their exciting dances heightened the festive mood further.

Many North Korean defectors feel even lonelier during the year-end season, as they miss their family members that they left behind in North Korea. But today, they got together for a change and enjoyed the party, free from anxiety or troubles they suffered during the past year. This year, North Korean defectors in the Yangcheon District participated in various volunteer works through this social welfare center, such as helping farmers during the busy season and delivering coal briquettes to low-income citizens. That was truly a precious experience in the course of resettling in South Korea as they were able to realize the meaning of providing a valuable community service. And they felt warmth with their South Korean neighbors during this year-end party and discovered the true meaning of sharing. Here’s to hoping they will be able to successfully resettle here in South Korea and grasp their hopes and dreams in the coming year.