Kim Jong Il, dead at 69

[OsmosisStudios]

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il dead, state media reports - CNN.com

Pretty self-explanatory. Not like it'll change much: They've been grooming his "favourite son" into being the next Great Leader. Kim Il Sung will likely continue in the same fashion his father did.

[SwissJon]

Oh dear, what a pity.. I'm gonna miss that old guy.. He was such a laugh!!

[Bruce A]

Trouble is - his son is a chip off the old luntatic!

[NathanFranke]

Radio said today that the Party and the Army are divided as to loyalty. Things may not go smoothly.

[SwissJon]

Originally Posted by NathanFranke

Radio said today that the Party and the Army are divided as to loyalty. Things may not go smoothly.

Things never do when you have a dictatorship and the dictator dies.. Everyone has their eyes on the prize, there's likely to be civil war before that area settles down into whatever happens next.. I just feel sorry for the ordinary folks who are already poor enough..

Something tells me that in 5 years time, this will be a province of China.. Which is why South Korea is such good friends with the US.

[gturner]

As one newsreader said this morning on the drive in... Kim Jung is not longer ill... he is dead.

[Digidave]

For your entertaiment.

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by Digidave

For your entertaiment.

[Doug Sundseth]

His death saddens me.

...

Mostly because it took so long.

[ceremus]

Originally Posted by SwissJon

Things never do when you have a dictatorship and the dictator dies.. Everyone has their eyes on the prize, there's likely to be civil war before that area settles down into whatever happens next.. I just feel sorry for the ordinary folks who are already poor enough..

Something tells me that in 5 years time, this will be a province of China.. Which is why South Korea is such good friends with the US.

Possibly, although China will do absolutely everything in its power to stop that from happening. The breakdown of NK means China would be flooded with northern refugees, which is pretty much the only reason China has propped up the NK dictatorship for as long as it has. China doesn't really like NK, they're more of a nuisance to them actually, but less so than if the nation were to collapse.