North Korea

February 2005 | Risk Summary

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has said that he would stand by the will of his father and pass power to one of his sons to continue the revolution, sustaining the world's only communist dynasty. Though there is little surprise that Kim is laying the foundations for his succession, the timing of the radio report, quoted by South Korean media, was unexpected. There has been speculation that the reclusive leader's grip on power had been slipping and this report leads to further questions about the stability of his regime.

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