Kim Jong Il has died....

[wooty]

I seeee a poooower struggle.......perhaps.

Lets hope not, I really want to go back to Tokyo and Seoul.

 

[ThatGuy]

In a small dictatorship as secretive as North Korea, it's not unlikely that Kim Jong-il and Kim Jong-un are just figureheads. It's even possible that they answer to a military government, and don't really have much say at all. In other words, they might not be the brains behind the operation.

Either way, I don't think things will get better for North Korea in the short term. And if Kim Jong-un should flex his muscles to solidify his place as a leader, things could get worse. Somehow I doubt this will happen.

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

You know what they say, everyone dies arone.

I doubt it'll make much difference overall, I can't imagine Kim jong-un will be any less of a douchebag.

 

[draconiansundae]

In a small dictatorship as secretive as North Korea, it's not unlikely that Kim Jong-il and Kim Jong-un are just figureheads. It's even possible that they answer to a military government, and don't really have much say at all. In other words, they might not be the brains behind the operation.

Either way, I don't think things will get better for North Korea in the short term. And if Kim Jong-un should flex his muscles to solidify his place as a leader, things could get worse. Somehow I doubt this will happen.

One of the possible scenarios is that Kim jong-un needs to define his image as separate from his father and grandfather, meaning that he might do something dramatic. Whether or not it will be positive (opening up the country, slowly, to international trade, diplomacy, etc.) or negative (more isolationism or even a provocation on the South - which North Korea traditionally likes to do to draw attention away from domestic issues) remains to be seen. I'd like to believe this will be the first step toward reunification, but I've also heard that the two relatively recent attack on the South, including sinking a warship and shooting an island, may also be attributable to Kim Jong-un rise as a four-star general, according to the BBC. However, trying to say that Kim jong-il was only a figurehead and didn't have any "real" power is just false and underestimates the political legacy established by Kim Il-sung. Even if the degree of his power is exaggerated, one can't discount the effectiveness of his cult of personality, which keeps the starving masses devoting their emotion into misplaced love for him, rather than social revolt.

 

[draconiansundae]

hmm.
he's... dead.

well then.

is america going to stop aiming nukes at Korea and calling it 'missile Feng Shui'?

Um no. Those missiles are there to counteract the North Korean ones pointed at Seoul. The Korean War has never technically ended, as as the South's primary ally in the war, the U.S. is bound to defend it.

 

[Lunar Templar]

in to poor taste?

 

[ZeroMachine]

Hmmm... Somehow, this is going to be a bad thing...

My thoughts exactly.

With all the insane dictators/terrorists dying this year, I feel like there's going to be an insanity power vacuum. It's only a matter of time until new, possibly worse, figures of insanity take their places.

... And that, my friends, was seriousness wrapped in a joke.

 

[theultimateend]

And it begins....

Homefront anyone?

Doubt it. The idea of South Korea uniting with North Korea without hesitation (as the plot of Homefront started) is absurd.

I was playing Fallout 3 when my mother told me the news. Jebus Christ, what now.

So here is how it goes down.

Homefront was actually made by a person from the future.

They came back in time to warn everyone of the upcoming unification of Korea.

What they didn't realize was that South Korea got a hold of copies of Homefront and realized that by unity with North Korea they could be strong enough to take on America.

So by coming into the past to warn us they created the stimulus that lead to the events in the warning they created.

H O M E F R O N T

 

[RatRace123]

Really? I figured it was coming, but still a shock.
I wonder what's gonna happen in Korea now?

From what I heard about Kim Jong Il's son, he's not all that great, potentially too weak a ruler.
This could be one of the most important moments in history right now depending on how things turn out.

 

[Alssadar]

I hope this may be a turn for the better for them, and, as an American high schooler with little knowledge considering current world affairs involving North Korea and reading the two BBC articles (The listed, and US relations), I hope world leaders acknowledge Jong-un as a leader and offer any attempts of negotiation with the new leader to stop the thought of just another person with nukes who the rest of the world doesn't like.

 

[Del-Toro]

I've heard his Son is even worse, and is far more aggressive and problematic.

Well, fortunately North Korea is a pathetic military force. If he really does rush an attack against basically anyone, he's rushing his own downfall. There's a reason Kim Jong Il never made good on his threats.

You do realize that they have nuclear capabilities right? They prolly can't hit too many people, but they can hit china, and there's no way china's not gonna take a few pot shots at the US if they're going down anyway. And there's no way that the US won't take a few pot shots at somebody/anybody/everybody if we're going down anyway. An aggressive North Korea is not good for anybody.

True, maybe one of those country's missile defense system would stop the chain reaction, but I'm not quite ready for that big of a risk to global survival.

Wait wait wait wait wait wait.... so you're saying that if North Korea nukes China, the Chinese response will be to nuke the US? That's retarded, there's no way, first of all, that China can't sustain a nuclear war better than North Korea, and surely countermeasures exist. Second, what you're suggesting is the equivalent of Brazil being attacked by Bolivia and responding by declaring war on Poland. If North Korea, on it's own initiative, attacks China, the People's Republic is not going to fire a Parthian shot at the states, they're going to pump all their firepower into making North Korea not exist anymore, because North Korea probably doesn't have the rocketry to wipe China entirely out and the survivors won't want to deal with an invasion. I don't think you really understand how mutually assured destruction works, the idea is that the belligerents will wipe each other out, not that the defending side will attack third parties because they can.

 

[KingHodor]

North Korea doesn't release any true information about themselves. They have no chance whatsoever in a war against anyone; the only reason the US didn't take them out a long time ago is the fact that they're allied with China. The only threat they pose is nuking South Korea---which would be disastrous, but also spell their own doom, so I doubt they'll do it.

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2792.htm

North Korea does have the 4th largest military in the world. With plenty of weapons production, chemical weapons and air defense networks.
While the equipment is outdated, their army is still is a significant threat.
And that's besides the nuclear capabilities.

Back in 1990, Iraq boasted also boasted the world's fourth largest military. As it turned out, their outdated main battle tanks weren't even a match for American Bradleys armed with 25mm autocannons, let alone A-10's and Apaches raining down Mavericks and Hellfires on them. To quote General Tom Kelly: "Iraq went from having the fourth-largest army in the world to the second-largest army in Iraq in 100 hours"

Imagine playing CoD against a guy with unlimited Predator drone killstreaks, and you have a pretty good idea of what the odds of success of a North Korean invasion of the South would be like.

 

[ShindoL Shill]

hmm.
he's... dead.

well then.

is america going to stop aiming nukes at Korea and calling it 'missile Feng Shui'?

Um no. Those missiles are there to counteract the North Korean ones pointed at Seoul. The Korean War has never technically ended, as as the South's primary ally in the war, the U.S. is bound to defend it.

you're technically still at war with Korea?
jesus.

 

[Jumpingbean3]

Unless an all out war begins this means nothing to me. Someone will rise to take his place and it will be right back to business.

 

[AngloDoom]

Unless an all out war begins this means nothing to me.

Indeed, we should wait for someone to start killing us before we start discussing the matter.

No, no wait, that's a terrible idea.

OT:

If Mr. Kim Jong-Il's 'brainwashing' as I understand it is as effective as I've been lead to believe, his son will probably be hailed like Jesus. Considering the guy's been raised to consider himself above the concerns of other people, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if he turns out to be just as cruel as his father.

Let's just hope he doesn't believe too much in his own power, and starts trying to blow holes in people he doesn't like.

 

[ExileNZ]

I like to be optimistic about the death of a dictator, but overall I can't say anything more worthwhile than what's already been said - whoever takes over, I hope the people come out of it okay (North AND South).

 

[SillyBear]

I've heard his Son is even worse, and is far more aggressive and problematic.

Well, fortunately North Korea is a pathetic military force. If he really does rush an attack against basically anyone, he's rushing his own downfall. There's a reason Kim Jong Il never made good on his threats.

Of course, but that doesn't mean they couldn't take out bundles of South Koreans with them. It may get to the point, whether through feeling threatened or being just plain crazy, that the North goes bananas.

"Meh" sums up my opinions here - I'm really only concerned for the safety of South Koreans - but even if it did come to war South Korea and allies would wipe the floor with the idiots.

No concern for all the poor bastards stuck in North Korea? They're probably in bigger trouble than the South Koreans.

Considering the fact that most North Koreans are in favour of their government and are brainwashed slaves - no. I think it's sad, especially because these people never really got the chance to live a nice life - but I have no real concern for them. They allow this man to be in power.

Apparently his son is even worse. But I really don't care. North Korea fails to scare me in any way, shape or form. "Meh" sums up my opinions here - I'm really only concerned for the safety of South Koreans - but even if it did come to war South Korea and allies would wipe the floor with the idiots.

Yeah but the big worry is what if China gets involved like it did last time, and the massive shitstorm that could lead to.

China? Haha. China will not get involved. They may talk the talk - but I find it completely laughable that China would risk trade destruction by fighting the world along side North Korea. China don't need North Korea. If push came to shove and the EU and the USA ended up fighting the North, China would be neutral. They are in it for themselves and would not have their life blood cut off because of North Korea.

 

[ckam]

The door has opened. It's up to their citizens to go through it. However, from what I read, it doesn't seem like they will.