A “high-level source” with a track record of good info on North Korea tells Reuters that following the death of Kim Jong-Il over the weekend, the country will be run by collective rule, as the military lends a hand to twentysomething heir Kim Jong-un. A coup is “very unlikely” since the military has pledged allegiance to the young Kim, and he is probably not prepared enough to consolidate leadership, making for the first shared-power situation in the country since it was founded in 1948. Also chipping in with some authoritarian chores will be Kim Jong-il’s sister, Kim Kyong-hui, and her husband Jang Song-thaek. The expert predicts “the regime will remain stable, at least in the near-term,” and we predict one hell of a reality show, Keeping Up With the Kims.
