Monday, April 27, 2020

Kim Jong-Un

People keep asking what people here in Seoul think about whether Kim Jong-Un is dead. The people I meet haven't really been talking about it. I brought it up yesterday, and a Korean friend said he's just desensitized to that kind of news story because Un's father, Kim Jung-Il, had so many health rumors for so long.

When Kim Jong-Il finely did die, nobody knew for more than two days, so it's not like the rumor mill eventually proved reliable either.

No one I've talked to here seems to think Kim Jong-Un's dead, although they said if he did die, that would be bad for South Korea. Apparently, he's seen as very peaceful, for a North Korean dictator at least, being young and having studied abroad in Switzerland. If he dies with no heir apparent, there will be a power struggle and one of the older generals might come to power. Those guys might be crazy enough to try to invade South Korea, so there is reason to worry. It just doesn't seem very likely at the moment.

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