# Kim Jong Il....dying of pancreactic cancer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 13, 2009, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-il-dying-of-pancreactic-cancer/502820 "2009-07-13T03:32:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-il-dying-of-pancreactic-cancer/502820/21 "2009-07-13T20:31:11Z")
I’m told one should only speak good of the dying. Kim Jong Il is dying. Good! ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-il-dying-of-pancreactic-cancer/502820/22 "2009-07-14T05:59:32Z")
Unfortunately, it’s probably not true. Even in open, democratic countries, personal medical information like this is kept pretty confidential. That this would become public from a closed, secretive, paranoid society like North Korea seems unlikely. There would certainly be no reason for their government to publicize this. And a leak from his medical team could be quickly traced (and punished), so they would be quiet about it. It all seems overly detailed. And note that the source (South Korea’s CIA) is hardly a neutral one. They were the source of the report of his stroke last fall – that they now call a ‘purported stroke’ in this report. I’d wait before starting the happy dance. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-il-dying-of-pancreactic-cancer/502820/23 "2009-07-14T22:02:42Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > I don’t normally wish death on anyone- let alone such a bad way to go- but if anyone deserves it, Kim Jong Il does… I watched my grandmother die of Alzheimer’s and pancreatic cancer. It is a horrible way too die. All I can say is “Have fun dying in agnony Chairman Kim; I hope nobody gives you a mercy overdose and may history will remember you as a pathetic Stalin wannabe.” ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-il-dying-of-pancreactic-cancer/502820/24 "2009-07-15T04:13:57Z")
In the newspaper here, it said he could live another five years with it. May he live the full five years with all of the suffering that would entail. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-il-dying-of-pancreactic-cancer/502820/25 "2009-07-15T08:31:59Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > In the newspaper here, it said he could live another five years with it. May he live the full five years with all of the suffering that would entail. Not likely. 6 months to a year. ---
**Author:** ![Nightingale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@Nightingale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightingale)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-il-dying-of-pancreactic-cancer/502820/26 "2009-07-15T11:10:39Z")
If he really does have pancreatic cancer, five years would be an EXTREMELY optimistic prognosis. . . pancreatic CA is a vicious disease and most patients die within a year of diagnosis. Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-il-dying-of-pancreactic-cancer/502820/27 "2009-07-15T13:36:21Z")
> [@Nightingale](#): > > If he really does have pancreatic cancer, five years would be an EXTREMELY optimistic prognosis. . . pancreatic CA is a vicious disease and most patients die within a year of diagnosis. > > . Except Patrick Swayze. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-il-dying-of-pancreactic-cancer/502820/28 "2009-07-15T15:16:38Z")
Bwa ha. Bwa ha ha. Bwa HA HAAAA! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-il-dying-of-pancreactic-cancer/502820/29 "2009-07-15T15:20:53Z")
We may not know if this is true even when he kicks off. But hopefully it is, it’s painful, and he drops dead fairly soon. I don’t know what the best ending for the people in North Korea is, though. No idea what will happen if Kim Jong Un takes over or the military takes more control, and whenever the Kim dynasty does collapse it will be a horrible mess. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-il-dying-of-pancreactic-cancer/502820/30 "2009-07-15T16:59:16Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > In the newspaper here, it said he could live another five years with it. May he live the full five years with all of the suffering that would entail. > [@Magiver](#): > > Not likely. 6 months to a year. > [@Nightingale](#): > > If he really does have pancreatic cancer, five years would be an EXTREMELY optimistic prognosis. . . pancreatic CA is a vicious disease and most patients die within a year of diagnosis. > > Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. Odd, because it was a wire piece, not one of the usually clueless local writers. Maybe it meant five years from the time he first contracted it? It did mention that pancreatic cancer was usually not detected until the later stages. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-il-dying-of-pancreactic-cancer/502820/31 "2009-07-15T17:48:05Z")
Several stories have mentioned the five years thing. Quoting the BBC, that’s the “maximum life expectancy” from diagnosis. If it’s true at all. Apparently this thread was on my mind yesterday, since last night I had a dream about the situation. Kim was executed by a firing squad and his son took over. ---
**Author:** ![Labtrash](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/labtrash/32/528_2.png) [@Labtrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labtrash)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-il-dying-of-pancreactic-cancer/502820/32 "2009-07-15T17:52:27Z")
He’s on my Death Pool List [fingers crossed] ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-il-dying-of-pancreactic-cancer/502820/33 "2009-07-15T18:15:34Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Odd, because it was a wire piece, not one of the usually clueless local writers. There’s no conflict. If your newspaper is carrying the same AP story as the OP, they didn’t say he was \*\*expected \*\*to live five years–they said the \*\*max \*\*with his diagnosis is about five years: “the 67-year-old leader has pancreatic cancer and less than five years to live.” ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-il-dying-of-pancreactic-cancer/502820/34 "2009-07-15T18:46:30Z")
I’m so conflicted: Die NOW! No, wait, suffer for five years! Can’t decide which would be best. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-il-dying-of-pancreactic-cancer/502820/35 "2009-07-15T19:02:21Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I’m so conflicted: Die NOW! No, wait, suffer for five years! Can’t decide which would be best. I know I’m something of a cynic and/or pessimist, but I have this nagging feeling that not long after the SOB goes to his well-deserved tête-a-tête with Old Scratch, the rest of the world will wish he were still alive. The idea of a nuclear-armed wounded shark tearing at its own guts is not even remotely appealing. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-il-dying-of-pancreactic-cancer/502820/36 "2009-07-15T19:03:27Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I’m so conflicted: Die NOW! No, wait, suffer for five years! Can’t decide which would be best. How about “get an incredibly infectious and invariably lethal disease, which you then spread to everyone in your insane government”? > [@OttoDaFe](#): > > The idea of a nuclear-armed wounded shark tearing at its own guts is not even remotely appealing. It would make a great album cover, though. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-il-dying-of-pancreactic-cancer/502820/37 "2009-07-16T03:39:39Z")
> [@Shirley\_Ujest](#): > > Except Patrick Swayze. I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t think he’s going to last five more years, or even five years from the initial diagnosis. Again, I hope I’m wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-il-dying-of-pancreactic-cancer/502820/38 "2009-07-16T04:31:16Z")
Meh, hopefully he decides he wants to go out with a _bang_ and does something incredibly stupid like invade Japan or Hawaii or something. And with that invasion goes North Korea after the retaliation… ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-il-dying-of-pancreactic-cancer/502820/39 "2009-07-16T04:33:17Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > Meh, hopefully he decides he wants to go out with a _bang_ and does something incredibly stupid like invade Japan or Hawaii or something. And with that invasion goes North Korea after the retaliation… I hope you don’t mind that Korea loses its Seoul in the process. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-il-dying-of-pancreactic-cancer/502820/40 "2009-07-16T04:46:32Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > I hope you don’t mind that Korea loses its Seoul in the process. At this point, while tragic, I’m not sure it isn’t necessary. This whole N/S division is utter bullshit and while it would be an immense tragedy I really do feel it would be best in the long run to just get it over with as I highly doubt we’ll ever come to a diplomatic solution unless Il’s successor has some magical radical change of heart, Disney style. The only thing I’m really worried about is if Iran or something decides that the US helping in the invasion constitutes “spreading our forces to thin” and decides to start wreaking havoc because they think they can get away with it now. I’m not worried too much about anyone in Asia getting too hurt from the conflict, especially since I’m pretty sure there’d be at least two countries (S. Korea and Japan) helping, and I’d wager on China joining in (on our side, they wouldn’t attack their bank state if the invasion was in retaliation… I’d think) just so they can have a say in what happens in the aftermath. Keep in mind though I only advocate this in retaliation, just invading would probably be a bad idea all around. Edit: I apologize, I’ll leave this here since I posted it, but this isn’t GD so I probably should have kept that bit to myself in hindsight. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-il-dying-of-pancreactic-cancer/502820.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-il-dying-of-pancreactic-cancer/502820.md?page=3)