The U.K. daily “The Times” has reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il’s sudden visit to China is a sign that unprecedented instability is imminent.

The Times said that analysts are scrambling to interpret the motivation behind Kim’s visit to China. It said that most North Korea watchers agree that it was related to Kim’s plan to have his third son Jong-un succeed him.

The newspaper said that following Kim Jong-il’s stroke, North Korean authorities appear to have been cautiously but steadily paving the way toward announcing the plan to have Jong-un take over leadership of the Stalinist nation.