In case you missed it: No Game of Thrones in North Korea as Kim Jong-un returns to spotlight With North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un out of the public spotlight for several weeks, speculation began to rise in the early autumn of 2014 about his health and / or whether he remained in control of the country. Most of the speculation has focused on the matter of Kim Jon-uns health. Some of the last footage of the North Korean leader indicated his leg may have been injured and thus prevented him from taking part in state activities. Still, there were questions as to why a leg or foot injury, quite possibly caused either by gout or a broken ankle, may have kept Kim Jong-un cloistered for such an extended period of time. Accordingly, speculation was slowly moving in the direction of whether Kim Jong-un was embroiled in -- and perhaps even sidelined by -- a power struggle. The absence of Kim Jong-un on Oct. 10, 2014 at the annual commemoration of the foundation of the Korean Workers Party only added to the mounting suggestions that a power shift might be underway. Indeed, a spate of reports emerged at the start of October 2014, ruminating as to whether the North Korean leader had been deposed in a secret coup. Of significance, according to Remco Breuker, Professor of Korean studies at Leiden University in the Netherlands, was the deployment of three leading political officers in the North Korean military to the closing ceremony of the Asian Games in South Korea. Referring to these individuals at that event, Breuker said: “They have sent out high ranking officials before but never in the capacity of representing the supreme leader. This may well be the first time.” Defectors from North Korea also commented on the presence of the three leading political officers at the ceremony in South Korea, drawing attention to the fact that they were accompanied by bodyguards (a measure typically reserved for the North Korean president), and that they exhibited odd behavior (specifically, they were shown smiling, made no mention of Kim Jung-un, and delivered no letter from the North Korean leader, as is the typical practice). Meanwhile, in an interview with the publication, The Telegraph, Toshimitsu Shigemura, a professor at Waseda University in Japan, observed that a recent ban on travel passes might be a sign that either a coup had taken place or that a coup polot may have been uncovered. Other North Korea experts have suggested that a low key power shift or transfer of power might be underway. Still others have indicated that a battle for control -- something akin to a game of thrones -- was evolving in the isolated and secretive east Asian country. To this end, one prevailing theory was the Kim Jung-un was removed from the leadership position. With no obvious heir to the metaphoric throne, North Korea was now actively being governed by the Organization and Guidance Department (OGD) of the Korean Workers Party. It should be noted that some sources in North Korea have insisted that Kim Jong-un remained in total control of the country and attributed his absence from the public scene to an injury. Likewise, the United States has said that it has not seen any signs of a transfer of power in North Korea. United States National Security Adviser Susan Rice said in an interview with NBC News, Obviously we are watching very carefully whats happening in North Korea. We have not seen any indications of a transfer of power at this point in North Korea that we view as definitive but well continue to watch it carefully. That guidance turned out to be true as Kim Jong-un re-emerged in the public purview on Oct. 14, 2014. According to North Koreas state media, Kim Jong-un visited a residential district and a science academy. The news of these public visits ended speculation over his health as well as the rumors of a transition of power. Written by Dr. Denise Coleman, Editor in Chief Political Intelligence Briefing, CountryWatch Copyright © 2014 CountryWatch Inc. In case you missed it: No Game of Thrones in North Korea as Kim Jong-un returns to spotlight With North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un out of the public spotlight for several weeks, speculation began to rise in the early autumn of 2014 about his health and / or whether he remained in control of the country. Most of the speculation has focused on the matter of Kim Jon-uns health. Some of the last footage of the North Korean leader indicated his leg may have been injured and thus prevented him from taking part in state activities. Still, there were questions as to why a leg or foot injury, quite possibly caused either by gout or a broken ankle, may have kept Kim Jong-un cloistered for such an extended period of time. Accordingly, speculation was slowly moving in the direction of whether Kim Jong-un was embroiled in -- and perhaps even sidelined by -- a power struggle. The absence of Kim Jong-un on Oct. 10, 2014 at the annual commemoration of the foundation of the Korean Workers Party only added to the mounting suggestions that a power shift might be underway. Indeed, a spate of reports emerged at the start of October 2014, ruminating as to whether the North Korean leader had been deposed in a secret coup. Of significance, according to Remco Breuker, Professor of Korean studies at Leiden University in the Netherlands, was the deployment of three leading political officers in the North Korean military to the closing ceremony of the Asian Games in South Korea. Referring to these individuals at that event, Breuker said: “They have sent out high ranking officials before but never in the capacity of representing the supreme leader. This may well be the first time.” Defectors from North Korea also commented on the presence of the three leading political officers at the ceremony in South Korea, drawing attention to the fact that they were accompanied by bodyguards (a measure typically reserved for the North Korean president), and that they exhibited odd behavior (specifically, they were shown smiling, made no mention of Kim Jung-un, and delivered no letter from the North Korean leader, as is the typical practice). Meanwhile, in an interview with the publication, The Telegraph, Toshimitsu Shigemura, a professor at Waseda University in Japan, observed that a recent ban on travel passes might be a sign that either a coup had taken place or that a coup polot may have been uncovered. Other North Korea experts have suggested that a low key power shift or transfer of power might be underway. Still others have indicated that a battle for control -- something akin to a game of thrones -- was evolving in the isolated and secretive east Asian country. To this end, one prevailing theory was the Kim Jung-un was removed from the leadership position. With no obvious heir to the metaphoric throne, North Korea was now actively being governed by the Organization and Guidance Department (OGD) of the Korean Workers Party. It should be noted that some sources in North Korea have insisted that Kim Jong-un remained in total control of the country and attributed his absence from the public scene to an injury. Likewise, the United States has said that it has not seen any signs of a transfer of power in North Korea. United States National Security Adviser Susan Rice said in an interview with NBC News, Obviously we are watching very carefully whats happening in North Korea. We have not seen any indications of a transfer of power at this point in North Korea that we view as definitive but well continue to watch it carefully. That guidance turned out to be true as Kim Jong-un re-emerged in the public purview on Oct. 14, 2014. According to North Koreas state media, Kim Jong-un visited a residential district and a science academy. The news of these public visits ended speculation over his health as well as the rumors of a transition of power. Written by Dr. Denise Coleman, Editor in Chief Political Intelligence Briefing, CountryWatch Copyright © 2014 CountryWatch Inc.
Posted on: Thu, 30 Oct 2014 15:55:04 +0000
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