# Kim Jong-Il's Successor Named?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-ils-successor-named/498458>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 2, 2009, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-ils-successor-named/498458 "2009-06-02T05:04:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![kitemaker\_chuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a88e4f/32.png) [@kitemaker\_chuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitemaker_chuck)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-ils-successor-named/498458/1 "2009-06-02T05:04:11Z")

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I just caught part of a news report (on the radio), that Kim Jong-Il has named his youngest son, Kim Jong-Un as the next leader of North Korea.

Any other Dopers hear anything more on this?

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**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-ils-successor-named/498458/2 "2009-06-02T05:09:01Z")

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> [@kitemaker\_chuck](#):
>
> Any other Dopers hear anything more on this?

\< Googles \>

[Here’s](http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article5522699.ece) a story from . . . January ? Seems like old news.

> [@](#):
>
> Intelligence sources in Seoul said yesterday that — very much against the expectations of South Korean analysis — Mr Kim, 66, had chosen his youngest and favourite son, Jong Un, to take over the all-pervasive family personality cult that controls the country when he is gone.

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**Author:** ![Notassmartasithought](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c0e974/32.png) [@Notassmartasithought](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Notassmartasithought)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-ils-successor-named/498458/3 "2009-06-02T05:10:59Z")

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Here’s the BBC just now, but the NY Times wasn’t online yet with it. [BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | N Korea 'names Kim's successor'](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8078324.stm)

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**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-ils-successor-named/498458/4 "2009-06-02T09:56:09Z")

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Humph… I sent them my resume _ages_ ago, and they promised they’d let me know.

Well next time they advertise for a Dictator-for-Life I shall think twice about applying, and I shall warn my friends too.

(I used posh paper and my best handwriting :()

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**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-ils-successor-named/498458/5 "2009-06-02T10:42:54Z")

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From what I’ve read, Chang Sung-taek, Kim Jong-il’s brother-in-law, will really be the one in charge. Kim Jong-Un will just be a puppet.