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Asian politics
Banyan's notebook
North Korea's leadership
The unconference
Sep 14th 2010, 6:40 by Banyan
THE world’s media got quite excited at the prospect of a full conference of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party, expected early this month. Since this was the first such conference for thirty years, and the previous one saw Kim Il Sung (the Great Leader) install his son Kim Jong Il (the Dear Leader) as his obvious successor, this seemed a big deal.
It was widely expected that the third-generation mantle would pass to Kim Jong Un (the Loss Leader?), perhaps with a period of regency under his uncle, Chang Sung Taek. But, as so often in North Korea, the rest is silence. As far as is known, the conference has not happened. The press, finding it hard to write about a non-event, has largely turned its attention elsewhere.
Andrei Lankov, however, of Kookmin University in Seoul, doyen of Pyongyangologists, finds the non-conference perhaps more interesting than the real thing. It is, he points out, very odd. The North Korean media, which only make up what they are told to, were quite specific that the meeting would be held in the first ten days of September. That has passed without a conference, which is still, say the regime’s mouthpieces, “drawing near”.
Something seems to have gone awry. Perhaps Kim Jong Il, said to have suffered a stroke two years back, is in bad health. Perhaps the elite are bridling at the imposition of his 27-year-old son. Perhaps one of the Kims had better things to do. Perhaps the elder one simply decided on a delay. “Such sudden changes of mind,” notes Mr Lankov, “are not unexpected when we deal with a stroke patient.” But, as he goes on: “this particular patient seemingly has a complete control over the nuclear-powered nation of 24m.”
Of course, most likely the conference will convene in a day or two, with all the pomp one would expect and no sign of anything amiss. We might never find out why the North Korean political system had such a hiccup. If it is delayed any longer, Mr Lankov would be far from the only Korea-watcher getting excited.
Update: Now that the North Korean media have at last reported on the devastating floods and landslides wrought by a typhoon earlier this month, they also seem a possible cause of the delay. With roads and railways damaged, delegates may simply not be able to get to Pyongyang. Or the scale of the disaster, in which dozens have been killed and tens of thousands of homes destroyed, may have diverted North Korea's leaders to the relief effort. That last explanation, however, would suggest a greater concern with the public's welfare than the regime normally displays.
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Dear North Korea,
As it is known for countries to occasionally change their names as political changes necessitate, I humbly suggest you change your country's official name (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) to something a bit more appropriate. I would suggest the Nepotist Republic of Korea.
Sincerely,
Riph
The Nokos will carry on resolutely the wishes and efforts of the Great Leader to purge all traces of imperialism from the hermit land.
In my opinion,North Korea will surely be united with South Korea,only on condition that American troops leave Korea peninsula.
It is odd that several countries have American troops stationed ,can this kind of countries be called a nation?they are just colonies.
to zmjh:
Thats nonesense. Colonies? right so all of Europe is a colony of the US since it has bases there....and Germany reunited perfectly well when it decided to, while having all those american bases around.
Dont be mistaken, if Korea doesnt unite its because koreans dont (rightly) want so.
North Korea is such a strange place. How does such a thing as a Communist Monarchy form?
@Riph, a new name, not a bad idea.
It ain't democratic, it ain't the people's; call it what it is:
Kim and His Darling Sons' Extraordinary and Peculiar Republic.
euphrax:
Um, it's not a republic, either.
How about: Kim and Sons Inc.
"the nuclear-powered nation of 24m" ??
When did this happen? Wasn't the dear leader ridiculed by the world, when the last bomb test turned out to be ...a bomb? Funny how the nuclear ability of the North can be dismissed or conjured up, either as a scarecrow when you need to stir up fear or a laughing stock if contempt is in demand, all of which depend on the role the dear leader is supposed to play in your script.
So this is journalism of the highest standard looks like.
As for the Kim of the North, he is just like the Florida pastor who wanted to burn Koran: a delusional egomaniac who holds the innocents hostage. The little voices in their heads will eventually lead them over the edge, hopefully sooner than later.
The Economist article says: “The press, finding it hard to write about a non-event, has largely turned its attention elsewhere.”
Well, at least the author of this article certainly did not find it too hard to write about a “non-event”.
@zmjh,
So you logic implies Tibet is a colony?
Dear Kwin - going over the edge with even a small hand-full of nukes makes me rather nervous, particularly since I don't live that far from the Washington Monument. Although, you can make a fairly good case that he went over the edge long ago....
Kim and Sons Inc.- registered in China, compliance with regulations optional and greatly dependent on your Guan Xi.
@zmjh
I am afraid to tell you, you are wrong. The US has a substantial military presence (define that as you may) in over a hundred countries, including Japan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Turkey, and more. Is Japan a US colony? I think not. Is Turkey? I think not (again). As to whether the Koreas will unite, and whether US presence is a linchpin for uniting, I think that the idea is ridiculous. There are such fundamental differences that lie across the DMZ that even without a single American in SoKo, they would still probably fight. I would go as far as to argue that our leaving would be worse- we are deterring them from the best location... as in 10 miles from the border. If you want the 2 countries to unite, kill the Northerners first (NOT REALLY). The differences are just too great (although killing Kim and his family wouldn't be such a bad idea for... well... anybody).
Don't forget, that the Dear Leader was still in China when the Typhoon struck, so his train may have not yet made it back to Pyongyang....
@AfricaDan
"Is Japan a US colony? "
I actually think so, but in a very subtle way. Japan is a US client state, as US doesn't want a competent ally in Japan, but an incompetent but malleable puppet/cash-cow.
@Anjin-San
I think that while we do view Japan's location as a strategic one for us to hold, the US isn't playing Japan like a puppet. Post WWII, one of the conditions was that Japan could not have a formal standing army (they now, of course, have the JSDF, but that is a whole other discussion). The US is acting as their protector from unstable SE Asia (umm, this article was about NoKo in the first place!). We have had this agreement for over 50 years now, and it is an extremely bilateral relationship in general, both economically and governmentally. Okinawa is a large base, yes. But its presence on the Island in no way makes Japan a US colony. Its government is fully independent, yet in keeping with the post WWII treaty, they rely on us for the needed protection.
How about "The People's Kingdom of Korea"?
@Leon HAHA wrote: Sep 15th 2010 9:34 GMT
“Kim and Sons Inc.- registered in China, compliance with regulations optional and greatly dependent on your Guan Xi.”
-----------------------
Don’t tease any country like that, if you don’t want others to tease your parents the same way.
In my view, the Nokos may have no wish to re-connect with the Sokos the longer time drags on especially when the Nokos are so proud of the racial purity and 30% of the Soko babies are no longer pure-bred. That is why the wily Soko Lee dude knows its urgency and tried taking matters into his hands to try to hurry up the re-unification by hooks and crooks but his clumsy handling of the Cheonan sinking just showed out his crookedness.