http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/1 ... d%3D121213

It will be interesting to see what changes on the peninsula. From what I understand he was grooming one of his sons to take power.

I've always had a feeling, that this event (when it happened 'someday') wasn't going to end well... This is no doubt going to be radical change for the most isolated country in the world. My hope is that the new "dear leader" does not feel the need to "Exercise Power" and prove his "worthiness" by starting a war.

Woah! I hope this sparks a change in their government; I hope the people can do something, or, like Sleeplessimmortal said, the new leader doesn't feel the need to exercise power and try to prove his worthiness or anything of that sort. I remember seeing a Discovery documentary thing many years ago, and you could understand that they were so afraid from the fear in their eyes and the way they spoke, but they still obeyed, like slaves that were being brainwashed and controlled...that was very sad.

I doubt things will change.

His son is about as fucked up as he is, and does anyone really think a country under the reign of a military dictatorship for so long will change overnight?

I just hope his son isn't like another Uday Hussein, or we're all fucked.

I think we can expect that North Korea will be more of a talking point in the upcoming U.S. presidential election debates now. The only question now is: Will the Republicans place greater emphasis on North Korea being more of a nuclear threat to the world than Iran is? And, if so, what will they propose we do about it?

-- Nephele

I think the Republicans will respond by searching and then jailing all of us indefinitely.

Has everyone seen this video of people crying hysterically?
I'm not quite sure what to make of it...

I have to agree with Centurion, I really don't see much change coming from this.

I think that the video of the crying people is staged to make it look like the people of that nation are actually sad. I'm quite sure the people there are told to be sad, but very very few are (just my thoughts, don't know for a fact).

I also think the people that know are hopeful that things can turn around, but at the same time probably think "well this won't change much".

And about the Republicans talking about nuclear weapons, they probably will. *sigh* this just opens up a whole new can of worms the US is prolly gonna get involved in.

Grab your Garand, we're going back to the 38th parallel...

Technically we never left. We still have a sizable presence there. However if war did break out everything Seoul and North would be wiped out by the enemy artillery. The first ten days of the war would be North Korea's. In a new war no one wins. Both sides would be decimated.

My bandmate's from Seoul.
If North Korea attacks, I'm joining the army.....

I think it's up to China to change something. North Korea survives because China pays. The question is how long they will go on like this. I don't expect any reforms from the dictator's son, because in fact the generals have the command in this country. Kim Jong Il just was a marionette.

It's not very predictable what will happen with his son, my guess is nothing's really going to change.

I agree. China did a lot of investments in North Corea during the last years to exploit the mineral resources. Why they should take a risc? The only chance for a change is a rebellion in the body of officers. North Corea got 1 million soldiers and 24 million inhabitants.

China has been pushing N.Korea for some basic economic reforms for some years now. I don't think we'll see to much of it right away, but the new dear leader is going to be influenced a lot by the army and the members of his family still in power. I think we are going to see some more "group leadership" coming down until the young man settles into his leadership style. He, unlike his father, did not have 20 years to prepare for this event.

The size of the standing army in the North is staggering, it is about all the country does. The 1million number quoted often is their active standing army. They have another 8million reservists on call. There is no illusion that a new war on the peninsula would be devastating for anyone involved. I fear that "anyone" involved will end up being "everyone" involved. I would just hope that if the north does "something", it's an act that is so far out of line that China can't sugar coat it or back them in it. If it's a simple disputed island or sea border issue that spirals out of control, it will be difficult to not become involved with China on the other side of the fence.