Japan: NKorea's Kim probably remains hospitalized

[Fade]

Japan: NKorea's Kim probably remains hospitalized
Oct 28 01:45 PM US/Eastern
By JEAN H. LEE
Associated Press Writer

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Il appears to have recovered enough from a stroke to run the country without difficulty, South Korea's spy chief said Tuesday, but Japan's prime minister said he likely is issuing orders from a hospital bed. Prime Minister Taro Aso told lawmakers in Tokyo that his government had information that Kim likely remains hospitalized.

"His condition is not so good. However, I don't think he is totally incapable of making decisions," Aso said.

The head of South Korea's National Intelligence Service, Kim Sung-ho, told lawmakers in Seoul that the North Korean leader is "not physically perfect" but appears to remain in command.

South Korean and U.S. officials say Kim, 66, suffered a stroke, reportedly in August. North Korea has strenuously denied there is anything wrong him.

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(http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D943L1881&show_article=1&catnum=0)

[Laworkerbee]

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k141/laworkerbee/PetersMcStroke.jpg

[Hispeed1]

Maybe someone should "accidentally" inject him with something... (hint-hint)

[Britboy]

Maybe someone should "accidentally" inject him with something... (hint-hint)

A succession crisis would probably be more destabilising than the current situ.

For all they have been painted as a suicidal nation in the popular image of the West, the regime just wants self preservation at the end of the day, same as everyone else. Which gives a certain element of stability. Assassinating the head honcho could plunge the country into crisis - who knows who would take power, and what they would do?

[Hispeed1]

A succession crisis would probably be more destabilising than the current situ.
For all they have been painted as a suicidal nation in the popular image of the West, the regime just wants self preservation at the end of the day, same as everyone else. Which gives a certain element of stability. Assassinating the head honcho could plunge the country into crisis - who knows who would take power, and what they would do?

Yes, everyone in the region and the rest of the world wants stability in N. Korea-no matter how bad Dear Leader Kim is. That's why all the money, food, oil and aid are sent to them. Oh well~

[Britboy]

I thought aid was being withheld until they gave up their nuc programme (as if), o well I may well be wrong on that.

Thing is, your allies the S Koreans don't want to push too hard either.

They want a US presence in the area strong enough to deter Kim from doing anything daft (like expanding South, although I'd argue this is not really likely to work for them), but they also don't want the US so worked up (in terms of strength and political intent) that they go and do something daft too, like invade the North. Both of which would be catastrophic for the ROK.

Stability (and increasingly, standoff) seems to be the name of the game here, at least for the foreseeable. The way I recently heard it described was as 'a hangover of the Cold War'.

[Hispeed1]

In the news headlines today: N. Korea's Kim suffers 'serious' setback

BBoy: right, as you said, the war there isn't over. There's just a "ceasefire." (Regime change, cough-cough, J/K)
But if Dear Leader Kim buys it, who do they have next in line? His son's? His Generals? This would destabilize the region and things could implode in N. Korea. But who knows, remember that saying: "change is good?"

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Kim Jong-Il 'being treated by brain surgeon'

New doubts over the health of North Korea’s “Dear Leader” have arisen after Kim Jong Il’s eldest son was filmed in Paris apparently soliciting the services of a top brain surgeon.

The footage, shot by the Japanese Fuji Television, has rekindled conjecture that Mr Kim is gravely ill and has possibly had a stroke. Speculation over the enigmatic dictator’s health has been rife, with some North Korean defectors suggesting that Mr Kim is at death’s door.

That speculation has led some intelligence experts to suggest that Pyongyang may, behind the scenes, be in the grip of a struggle for supremacy by opposing factions eager to take over when the 66-year-old dictator finally loses his stranglehold on power.

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(http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article5021218.ece)

[matthew.manhorn]

Financial crises + Kim's ill health = Double trouble for South Korea....