# Succession in North Korea **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 25, 2020, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-in-north-korea/918953 "2020-08-25T05:26:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2020, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-in-north-korea/918953/1 "2020-08-25T05:26:02Z")
It has been reported that Kim Jong Un, the Supreme Commander of the DPRK, has had a stroke or another stroke. His sister, Kim Yo-jong, seems to have stepped up as Jong Un’s second in command. Jong Un is reported to have 2 children (a son and a daughter) and possibly a third. The older ( or oldest ) is a boy who is expected to continue the Kim dynasty. So, what if Jong Un dies tomorrow. His heir would be maybe 10 years old. Would Yo-jong 1) become a Regent until her nephew comes of age? Or B) would she just declare herself the Supreme Leader whose own children will continue the line? Or iii) will a tragic accident or disease befall the late Jong Un’s children? What do you folks think? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2020, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-in-north-korea/918953/2 "2020-08-25T05:35:02Z")
I don’t think there’s really a factual answer here. It’s not like they have a succession statute; regimes like this tend to be strictly opportunistic. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2020, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-in-north-korea/918953/3 "2020-08-25T05:41:40Z")
How reliable are these reports in the first place, or are they wishful thinking ? AIUI it all depends on who the military loyalists would support, but who knows what sort of internal factions might develop in such a situation? ---
**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:** [August 25, 2020, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-in-north-korea/918953/4 "2020-08-25T06:26:23Z")
Western experts on Korean intelligence are saying don’t believe it. The news comes from a former South Korean minister who heard it from an unnamed Chinese source (thus giving it a sort of “urban legend” quality). Example news source: > **[Kim Jong Un In A Coma? Experts Rebuff Claims From Former South Korean Official](https://dailycaller.com/2020/08/24/kim-jong-un-coma-south-korean-official-rumor-north-korea/)** > > Experts remain skeptical of rumors from a former South Korean official that claim Kim Jong Un is in a coma. The Kim Is Dead jokes are flying (note the source here): [https://www.rt.com/news/498848-kim-coma-media-reports/](https://www.rt.com/news/498848-kim-coma-media-reports/) ---
**Author:** ![yarblek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/71e660/32.png) [@yarblek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yarblek)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2020, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-in-north-korea/918953/5 "2020-08-25T07:14:51Z")
All these rumors about Kim Jong-un might just be part of an ongoing canary trap or barium meal test type operation. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2020, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-in-north-korea/918953/6 "2020-08-25T14:34:56Z")
As already mentioned, the only factual answer is “we don’t know”. Absolute monarchs with small children have died in the past and things were managed, but what happens in North Korea is anyone’s guess. If I had to guess I’d bet that his sister becomes a powerful, but temporary regent until the eldest son reaches the age of maturity, whatever that is since males tend to be favored in many Asian dynasties. The military will be crucial since they will have to swear their undying allegiance to whoever becomes the new supreme leader. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2020, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-in-north-korea/918953/7 "2020-08-25T15:25:24Z")
When was the last time Kim was rumored to be dying/dead? 2019? 2018? It had to be sooner than 2017. ---
**Author:** ![YamatoTwinkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/cc9497/32.png) [@YamatoTwinkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YamatoTwinkie)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2020, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-in-north-korea/918953/8 "2020-08-25T15:31:09Z")
April 2020 was the last time the NK rumor mill was speculating that Kim was in critical condition. > **[As Health Rumors Persist, Train Belonging to Kim Jong Un Seen at North Korean...](https://time.com/5827565/kim-jong-un-health-rumors-train/)** > > Kim Jong Un has been out of the public eye for a few weeks ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2020, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-in-north-korea/918953/9 "2020-08-25T15:43:56Z")
Marx and Engels would be astonished that one of the world’s few remaining Communist states would also be an absolute monarchy. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2020, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-in-north-korea/918953/10 "2020-08-25T16:02:27Z")
Yeah, but how would Stalin or Putin feel about it? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2020, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-in-north-korea/918953/11 "2020-08-25T16:07:10Z")
Green with envy. ---
**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:** [August 25, 2020, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-in-north-korea/918953/12 "2020-08-25T16:49:10Z")
**Moderator Action** Since this is mostly speculation with very few facts (no fault of the OP, it’s just very difficult to get factual information out of North Korea), let’s move this from GQ to IMHO. Any factual information about the topic is of course still welcome.