Timing on this piece couldn’t be worse. Kim Jong il just chose his youngest son as his successor. I’m no fan of the regime (living in South Korea, I’m also no fan of a military intervention), but Kim Jong il is probably close to kicking off and the recent missile launches etc seem to be a strategy of shoring up power for the transition.. It seems a little patience may be in order right now.
His son is all of 26 years old and in a society that puts so much weight on age and authority, I wouldn’t be surprised if his rule is short lived. Of course there are the hardliners that could take him out but their problem is that they then break the chain of succession and the godlike image bestowed upon the new leader.
Point being, right now is probably the time to wait and see. And with the Obama administration in power, it wouldn’t happen if Kim Jong il was waving around a nuclear missile at the DMZ.
