BBC is reporting that North Korea’s Kim Jong-il has died! From “physical and mental overwork,” according to state television. Announced moments ago. Died on Saturday morning.
Are you shitting me? I seriously was just about to add him to my Death Pool list. Christ.
Er, I mean, I will be interested in the ramifications for North Korea, and of course that’s what’s most important.
Edit: Also, in one of those weird coincidences, I just added his name to an index I’m working on, not ten seconds before seeing this post.
I just saw this. Very interesting.
Was on my death pool for next year.
Wow.
Kind of like John Henry, But in il’s case I’m sure he was moving a mountain out of the way , to provide more sunshine to his people, rather than just digging a tunnel in it.
Well, this should be interesting.
I’ve found it at the Globe and Mail, and the Washington Post, both off the Associated Press wire.
Wow, indeed!
Any ideas on what the future holds? Is this a good thing or a bad thing overall?
NYT confirms, saying it’s from North Korean TV. I’m not expecting much in the way of change, though I’d love to be surprised.
BBC TV just showed the news clip of a weeping woman in a black kimono announcing the news on state TV. It’s real. They waited 48 hours to announce it.
BBC is scrambling to put out analyses. Considering the early hour in London, they must be waking up many of these experts who are speaking by phone.
What a shame Christopher Hitchens JUST missed his chance to write an obituary.
I have to wonder. As I have heard, the generals and other important folks in North Korea don’t care much for Junior.
Probably had to decide whether to announce who put the pillow over his face.
Just put him on my DP list today too.
This is going to be very very interesting. His son is too young and inexperienced and doesn’t have the web of family and allies his father does. Well, ok, it is the same Family, as one of his aunts (Jong-Il’s sister) is married to the second most powerful man in the country and stuff like that, which won’t necessarily transfer over to an untrained whelp like him.
The next set of things added here should be interesting too;
Well, he fulfilled every tyrant’s ambition, he held onto power until the end.
What’s Korean for Apres moi, le deluge?
That was the same argument that was raised when his father died. We’ll see.
He’s with Jesus now.
Holy crap! :eek:
Pretty sure he isn’t.
Let’s go down to the quarry and throw some shit down there.
What’s next? We pull out the popcorn and wait through the inevitable wave of “retirements” and “car accidents” and “died of a heart attack out of grief over the loss of the Dear Leader” and see who rises to the top. Pretty sure it won’t be the third son.