The succession issue that arises under North Korea’s Kim Jong Il (Kim Cho’ng-il)
system may be handled with Kim Jong Il taking the lead in making the preparations or it
could proceed without regard to Kim Jong Il’s intention. However, if a sudden change
takes place in the North Korean system, including Chairman Kim Jong Il’s fall from
power, with Kim Jong Il failing to make proper preparations for the succession, the
forces that are capable of seizing control of the situation, based on the ‘‘party
government military’’ structure of dynamics established at the time of the sudden
change, will come to power. Considering the process of the Kim Il Sung Kim Jong Il
succession, there is a possibility of the power succession taking place, either substantially
or institutionally, while Kim Jong Il is alive or after he is dead. A survey of specialists on
this issue in the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA) on the types of succession
showed the following forecasts: (1) 43.5 percent predicted a high possibility of the
emergence of a ‘‘type of collective leadership after Kim Jong Il’s death by natural
causes.’’ (2) 36.4 percent saw a high possibility of succession by the second son, Kim
Cho’ng-ch’o’l. (3) North Korea’s succession outcome, regardless of the type, is expected
to place greater importance on the United States than on China. (4) Considering the
power base, in the event that Kim Cho’ng-nam-Chang So’ng-t’aek rises to power, they
will attach importance to Northeast Asian countries, including China, Japan, and the
ROK. In view of the influence Deng Xiaoping’s experience in studying in Paris had on
his reforms and opening, Kim Cho’ng-un, if he rises to power, may boldly pursue a pro-
West and pro-U.S. policy.
The succession issue that arises under North Korea’s Kim Jong Il (Kim Cho’ng-il)
system may be handled with Kim Jong Il taking the lead in making the preparations or it
could proceed without regard to Kim Jong Il’s intention. However, if a sudden change
takes place in the North Korean system, including Chairman Kim Jong Il’s fall from
power, with Kim Jong Il failing to make proper preparations for the succession, the
forces that are capable of seizing control of the situation, based on the ‘‘party
government military’’ structure of dynamics established at the time of the sudden
change, will come to power. Considering the process of the Kim Il Sung Kim Jong Il
succession, there is a possibility of the power succession taking place, either substantially
or institutionally, while Kim Jong Il is alive or after he is dead. A survey of specialists on
this issue in the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA) on the types of succession
showed the following forecasts: (1) 43.5 percent predicted a high possibility of the
emergence of a ‘‘type of collective leadership after Kim Jong Il’s death by natural
causes.’’ (2) 36.4 percent saw a high possibility of succession by the second son, Kim
Cho’ng-ch’o’l. (3) North Korea’s succession outcome, regardless of the type, is expected
to place greater importance on the United States than on China. (4) Considering the
power base, in the event that Kim Cho’ng-nam-Chang So’ng-t’aek rises to power, they
will attach importance to Northeast Asian countries, including China, Japan, and the
ROK. In view of the influence Deng Xiaoping’s experience in studying in Paris had on
his reforms and opening, Kim Cho’ng-un, if he rises to power, may boldly pursue a pro-
West and pro-U.S. policy.