The death of Kim Jong-Il on December 17th, 2011 shook his nation and sent tremors around the rest of the world. While North Koreans cry wretchedly under the supervision of North Korean military and Kim Jong-un begins to take control, the rest of the world continues to wonder what will happen to the small nuclear-armed nation. More importantly, how will the new leadership affect the safety of the rest of the world?
Directly following the news of Kim Jong-Il’s death, released to the world several days after his death, Japan and South Korea placed their military on alert. Although cut off from the rest of the world for the latter half of the century, North Korea released news of its loss in the form of videos, showing national grief in locations such as the capital city of Pyongyang. The small country has been on tricky footing with the international community since a civil war between South and North Korea broke out in 1950. Internationally isolated, most North Koreans live with few modern conveniences (such as television and reliable electricity), and under the totalitarian control of the Kim Jong Dynasty. North Korean citizens live in a world created by government propaganda and governed by ancient traditions which hold ancestors, and the purity of a family’s blood, in high value. This may allow a peaceful transition from father to son, despite a regime which manipulates the public through reprisals, imprisonment and threatening of the families of troublemakers. In a world where each household has a radio attached to the wall which remains on at all times, containing a volume dial but no on and off switch, the question remains: will the propaganda still be enough to keep this little country unified?
However, a lot has been happening in the last three to four years which may not have been at the orders of Kim Jong-Il himself. Kim Jong-Il, who died at the age of 69, has been in poor health since suffering a stroke in August 2008. North Korea’s first nuclear test was not conducted until 2006 and abuses of human rights have been rumoured to have been increasing in his last several years of life. People have been jailed and subjected to reprisals, particularly where communication with the outside world was suspected. Furthermore, trading with China has allowed the import of luxury items like the three Lincoln limousines which transported the dead ruler to his funeral. China serves as North Korea’s military ally and its principal source of aid. This aid is beginning to include increasing amounts of expensive items such as cell phones, laptops and air conditioners for the elite. Goods also arrive unofficially over the borders with the Chinese imports. Luxury items are suspected to be used to pacify members of the elite in the face of international pressure, the testing of nuclear weapons, and sanctions. North Korea is not new to the pressures of foreign governments: it has been pressured, first to end its conflict with South Korea and now to end nuclear testing. The loyalty of China, which claims to follow measures restricting luxury goods but fails to do so, undermines the effectiveness of those sanctions in addition to making it very difficult for European and American governments to provide humanitarian aid to the impoverished lower class.
Kim Jong-Il’s grip on the realities of his country seem to have been waning. Photos often show him observing ceremonies, buildings and products surrounded by a large group of party members and advisers, all of whom agree to stand behind Kim Jong-Un as he takes power. But are these party members and advisers used to directing the country more than their positions dictate? What does that mean for the country under the power of a much younger man, one who is still in his late 20’s, and who was educated abroad in Switzerland?
The changing over of control from father to son is expected to cause instability in an already poor and suffering country. Kim Jong-Il’s ascension to power in 1994 was followed by a famine which caused the deaths of an estimate two million people. Unbearable conditions forced people over the borders into South Korea where a black market developed. Secret trade between the two countries continues to this day, fostering thoughts of independence in the repressed public. Over the last decade and a half, communications from the western world have shown North Koreans are worse off than people in their neighbouring countries, unlike the government’s official message. External forces are beginning to fight the brainwashing, but this will only strengthen the government’s desire to unite the country with a common goal, and most likely against a perceived common threat (much like Hitler’s decision to take his debt-burdened country to war).
In a world already so full of unrest and revolutions, there is a lot of uncertainty and many questions. Revolutions cause countries to cease functioning, which highly decreases the efficiency of processes such as food manufacturing, distribution of reliable electricity, and the cooling or heating of homes. Though popular headlines no longer feature countries like Egypt, Syria, Libya and Yemen, unrest in these countries continue as the citizens try to reach that perfect balance between full liberty and less chaos. Wars continue to be waged in Pakistan and Afghanistan while places like Haiti work slowly to pick themselves up after natural disasters. News on a global scale these days, and perhaps always, tends to be depressing. It remains to be seen whether this secretive country will open more to the world and become a more international country. Hopefully, under Kim Jong-Un, human rights will improve. Trade will allow citizens to improve themselves and improve their standards of living. The next few months and years will be the time to watch North Korea, when Kim Jong-Un is young and educated. He has learned about other countries. Time will tell whether Kim Jong-Un proves to be a worthy leader to help a nation on the cusp of change.
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