# Kim Jong Un croaked his uncle **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 12, 2013, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-un-croaked-his-uncle/676197 "2013-12-12T21:57:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-un-croaked-his-uncle/676197/21 "2013-12-13T04:56:38Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Holidays in North Korea? > > Here is the list (notice Christmas is missing): > [Public holidays in North Korea - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_North_Korea) OK, then–“Kim Jong-suk’s Birthday” is gonna be awkward this year. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-un-croaked-his-uncle/676197/22 "2013-12-13T05:03:13Z")
According to one (or more) of the articles I’ve seen, the only real surprise is that something like this happened this soon, as opposed to sometime later. That sounds about right to me. In all of the most vicious totalitarian governments we’ve known about, isn’t this pretty much par for the course for the Alpha Dog to purge his closest associates (who are also the best positioned to be rivals), sooner or later? And North Korea is certainly one of the more barbaric regimes around – as those closest to power there are best positioned to be well aware of. So why would not Jang Song Thaek realize that he’s going to be toast sooner or later? Why would he, or _anyone,_ want to be anywhere within a thousand miles of the centers of power there? Or anywhere near the centers of power in Hitler’s Germany, or Stalin’s USSR, or Julius Caesar’s Rome? There can be only one conclusion: He WAS planning a coup, and imagined he could get away with it, but they beat him to it. (Compare: Brutus, who acted in time.) It’s the only sensible, logical explanation. Assuming that there exists ANY sensible, logical explanation for anything that goes on in North Korea. There. I’m an erudite political analyst now. ETA: Or even if he wasn’t planning a coup, it’s always prudent for the Alpha Dog to assume he is anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-un-croaked-his-uncle/676197/23 "2013-12-13T05:33:25Z")
The equivalence of Kim Jong Un to Julius Caesar is tenuous. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-un-croaked-his-uncle/676197/24 "2013-12-13T08:22:16Z")
It’s like a real life _Game of Thrones_. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-un-croaked-his-uncle/676197/25 "2013-12-13T08:27:35Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Holidays in North Korea? > > Here is the list (notice Christmas is missing): > [Public holidays in North Korea - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_North_Korea) [Allow me to provide a counter-cite.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joke) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-un-croaked-his-uncle/676197/26 "2013-12-13T08:35:14Z")
News reports have been saying the Uncle was the number two guy in North Korea. Didn’t do him much good. He was dragged off in front of the cameras like a common criminal. I can’t help but wonder if he was considered a more moderate influence? Someone above mentioned he supported China’s economic policies. I’d guess he still had plenty of blood on his hands. He was a top official in N Korea for decades. I can’t see being a part of that totalitarian gov without being pretty ruthless. ---
**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:** [December 13, 2013, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-un-croaked-his-uncle/676197/27 "2013-12-13T09:00:37Z")
Before Lil Kim took power, there was a lot of speculation that his uncle would really be running things and that Kim Jong Un would just be a puppet leader. This was all speculation of course, but it points to the uncle being rather powerful and influential within the North Korean inner circle. My first thought was that this is some sort of internal power struggle. Kim Jong Un basically just eliminated the most powerful guy who held any influence over him from the days of his father’s regime. ---
**Author:** ![hapkido1996](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f17d59/32.png) [@hapkido1996](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hapkido1996)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-un-croaked-his-uncle/676197/28 "2013-12-13T09:00:48Z")
I’ve lived in SK since '96. People down here hardly pay attention to the asshattery up there anymore unless it’s a genuine attack, like that ship or the island. ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-un-croaked-his-uncle/676197/29 "2013-12-13T09:32:40Z")
April 15? Hey, don’t forget to wish the Great Leader a happy birthday as you’re mailing your taxes! ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-un-croaked-his-uncle/676197/30 "2013-12-13T12:30:06Z")
Firing squad or [Thaekomizer?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thagomizer) ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-un-croaked-his-uncle/676197/31 "2013-12-13T12:37:03Z")
[DennisRodman]“No, no…Kim… its pronounced “Uncle” not “Un-Coup”! Just let it roll off of your tongue. Now try again…” [/DennisRodman] ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-un-croaked-his-uncle/676197/32 "2013-12-13T15:40:20Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Well, the holidays are sure going to be awkward in Pyongyang this year. He’ll be so ronery this year. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-un-croaked-his-uncle/676197/33 "2013-12-13T15:50:20Z")
I’m wondering if this might be a good sign for that American preacher they’re still holding. Given that Kim’s uncle was pretty much dragged out into the street and shot, the fact that the preacher is still alive might mean that North Korea is planning to eventually let him go. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-un-croaked-his-uncle/676197/34 "2013-12-13T17:11:45Z")
Jesus, that’s fucking dark. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-un-croaked-his-uncle/676197/35 "2013-12-13T17:15:44Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > 1. It’s a sign that Kim is insane. Which is always a safe assumption to make in North Korean politics. > [@Claverhouse](#): > > The equivalence of Kim Jong Un to Julius Caesar is tenuous. Actually, Kim Sr = Augustus, Kim Jr = Tiberius, Kim 3 = Caligula. Kim Sr actually had some education and political chops - he managed to walk the tightrope between China and the US and ended up with an armistice. Kim Jr was reasonably stable, but he wanted to be left alone with his 30 course meals, women, expensive booze and bling. Kim 3 is blowing through money, lives an opulent lifestyle and may have sold off serious gold to China [600 million or so, rumored], is hard core jealous of anybody else who might get any sort of power, is a military poseur. Not a good regime to live in if you pose any sort of threat to him. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-un-croaked-his-uncle/676197/36 "2013-12-13T18:30:05Z")
Couldn’t a top level official get out of the country of some pretext? Maybe go to say Hong King, waltz into the British embassy and ask for political asylum? The guy had to see this coming. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-un-croaked-his-uncle/676197/37 "2013-12-13T19:22:09Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > Couldn’t a top level official get out of the country of some pretext? > Maybe go to say Hong King, waltz into the British embassy and ask for political asylum? **The guy had to see this coming.** See, that’s what I’m thinking too. How can someone be that enmeshed in such a crazy-power regime and _not_ see this coming, sooner or later? You’d have to expect that you will be accused of “plotting”, truly or falsely, eventually. It becomes a game of seeing who beats whom to the punch. (That was my Caesar connection, where in that case, Brutus beat Caesar to the punch.) Didn’t Ста́лин (Stalin) pull this kind of shit too? ---
**Author:** ![JoseB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/joseb/32/1530_2.png) [@JoseB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoseB)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-un-croaked-his-uncle/676197/38 "2013-12-13T21:33:21Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > Couldn’t a top level official get out of the country of some pretext? > Maybe go to say Hong King, waltz into the British embassy and ask for political asylum? The guy had to see this coming. The problem, as I understand it, is that had he done so, his WHOLE family up to two generations in both directions (plus collateral branches) would be rounded up and sent to the gulags _ipso facto_. Either he worried about them, or he was confident that he would be able to make a move before Lil’ Kim did. It’s not as if his family will be much better now, of course. But perhaps they won’t be as badly treated as if he had fled. ---
**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:** [December 13, 2013, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-un-croaked-his-uncle/676197/39 "2013-12-13T22:57:58Z")
> [@JoseB](#): > > It’s not as if his family will be much better now, of course. But perhaps they won’t be as badly treated as if he had fled. I’m sure Kim will be compassionate. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-un-croaked-his-uncle/676197/40 "2013-12-13T23:25:15Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I’m sure Kim will be compassionate. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-un-croaked-his-uncle/676197.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kim-jong-un-croaked-his-uncle/676197.md?page=3)