Is Kim Jong Il preparing to step down as leader of North Korea

SUCCESSION IS in the air in North Korea as the secretive communist state put on a massive celebration rehearsal last weekend for its biggest political conference in 40 years. Speculation is rife that ailing leader Kim Jong-il will use the Workers Party convention to give a key ruling party position to his third and youngest son.

full article

So it seems like Kim may be preparing to give up his life as a Tyrant and spend more time playing golf while his youngest son takes over as the next Dear leader

The article seems to be seeing this as a positive step towards openness in North Korea, but I can't say that I'm that optimistic.

What do people think? Will Kim Jong- un be any better then daddy? The article says that he is Swiss educated so I guess he may have a more open attitude to the west, but he has still been bought up to think that he and his family have an absolute right to govern NK I can't see him giving that up to be honest

Depends. It doesn't mention if the council is the 7th Council of Workers, which confers leadership in North Korea. Sounds like it, but doesn't mention it by name. Could just be a translation error though.

Will be watching this one. Good find Davespanners!

Meet the Family: North Korea

Cheers
Shane

You want to have some real fun...

Try and find a verifiable and documented picture of this kid.

According to this we might all be getting to see him next week when he makes his first public appearance.

It's not looking too good on him being more reasonable then his father though

"He is more engaging with other people, but then others say he can be cruel," says Ha Tae-keung, president of Open Radio for North Korea in Seoul. "He has already purged people in the defence commission he regards as opponents."

He's already purging people just to get practice in before the main event