North Korea Leadership Watch

Research and Analysis on the DPRK Leadership

The Bozz to Pyongyang, KJI Invited to Beijing

The Bozz to Pyongyang, KJI Invited to Beijing

Reuters reported earlier today of a possible trip by DPRK Special Envoy (and Fletcher School Dean) Stephen Bosworth to Pyongyang.  Yomiuri Shimbun has a more detailed report about Ambassador Bosworth’s trip, which is likely to […]

Oct, 29

Habemus Successor? Or Thaek it to the Limit?

Another report has surfaced in the South Korean press that Kim Jong-un is undergoing a “grooming process” (what Medieval Europe royalty would term a “prince’s education”) to succeed his father.  The Korea Herald reports that […]

Oct, 29

Kim Jong-il's Love in an Elevator

This is an admittedly trivial posting, but KCNA has a short story about Kim Jong-il’s guidance tour of Pothonggang Shop.  Last week I posted that General-Secretary Kim was in a more laudatory, kindler, gentler General’s […]

Oct, 28

Kim Jong-un's First KPA Guidance Tour?

It seems Kim Jong-un (Kim Jong-il’s youngest son and supposed successor) was deflowered in the role of conducting a guidance tour solus.  Chosun Ilbo reports that Mr. Kim inspected the KPA’s IX Army Corps based […]

Oct, 28
More Succession Scuttlebutt

More Succession Scuttlebutt

Last week, Nam Sung-wook, an expert on the DPRK Leadership who is an adviser to South Korean President Lee Myung-bak,  gave a lecture in Seoul where he contended that Kim Jong-un’s succession was put in […]

Oct, 27
Guidance Train Kept a-Rollin' & When RG Met SK

Guidance Train Kept a-Rollin' & When RG Met SK

1.) MOFA Director-General for North American Affairs, Ri Gun, met with Six-Party Talks Envoy, Sung Kim, for an hour in New York on Saturday (24 October).  The substance of the meeting was not disclosed, and […]

Oct, 26
Hacking at an Early Age

Hacking at an Early Age

[This posting was mis-linked to another story; the Dong A-Ilbo link is in place with my apologies.] Donga A-Ilbo has a useful story about the formal education of DPRK computer hackers.  There have been previous […]

Oct, 24

Guidance Train (Bound for Glory)

(n.b.  Kim Jong-il’s last appearance was at a music performance on 17 October) The field guidance train (“the People’s train, the train of love”)  rolled along.  Kim Jong-il made three guidance visits this week.  Since […]

Oct, 23
Morningstar General's Footsteps, Encore

Morningstar General's Footsteps, Encore

UPDATE AFP (Agence France Prese) has additional information concerning Nam Sung-wook’s lecture about Kim Jong-un’s succession being muted.  The AFP report goes on to say that Jang Song-thaek  “has also been sidelined for the time […]

Oct, 22
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