Andrew Tompkins
Contributing Writer
Kim Jong-il’s almost two decade reign over North Korea came to an abrupt end on Dec. 19, 2011 when he suffered a massive heart attack while on board a field train. Though his death was sudden, it was not entirely unexpected. The 69-year-old supreme leader suffered from numerous health issues including diabetes, obesity and hypertension. He suffered a stroke in 2008, and had a lengthy family history of heart problems including most well known, the death of his father Kim Il-sung who also died from a heart attack.
Shortly thereafter, Kim Jong-il’s youngest son Kim Jong-un was announced as the “Great Successor.” There has been much debate as to whether Jong-un has been well groomed enough to take over in his father’s shadow.
Jong-un inherits a country that is still in terrible shape due to poor economic and political conditions. North Korea suffers from a wide array of problems, most notably devastating food shortages, numerous human rights violations, and severe limitations on political and social freedoms.
Recently North Korea has been in conversation with the U.S. to arrange a deal in which they cease uranium enrichment programs in exchange for U.S. food and aid. Jong-un’s administration has adamantly proclaimed they do not need such aid but have left the door open for further talks.
In a released statement from the country, an unnamed spokesperson proclaimed that they would wait and “see if the United States has a willingness to establish confidence.”
In addition Jong-un, in what appears to be a goodwill gesture, has issued a special pardon for prisoners in order to celebrate what would be Kim Jong-il’sseventieth birthday in February. The amnesty is most likely being used as a way to increase his own popularity among citizens and abroad. The pardons will begin as early as Feb. 1.
High ranking military and political leaders were quick in reaffirming and swearing oaths to Jong-un as the new supreme leader of the country. Even going so far as to vow to become “rifles and bombs” to defend the new supreme commander. Jong-un also wasted no time in issuing his first threat of war, saying that North Korea may “Smash the stronghold of puppet forces in the south for hideous crimes” committed during the mourning period for his father.
Threats such as these were a regular occurrence under Jong-il and demonstrate that political philosophies will most likely remain unchanged in North Korea. However, the U.N. and western world leaders are hopeful that Jong-un will be more open to international communication. In the wake of his appointment there has been much optimism towards perhaps a new era in connecting the very isolated country to the rest of the world.
“We reiterate our hope for improved relations with the people of North Korea and remain deeply concerned about their well being.” U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on the matter.
Jong-il’s death capped off a year of unusual success in the fight against global terrorism. In early May, Osama Bin Laden’s extensive manhunt came to a conclusion with his death in a Navy Seal team raid on Pakistani soil. Furthermore, top Al Qaeda figure Anwar al Awlaki was killed by an American drone strike in September. Awlaki held a major Al Qaeda role and was among the United States’ most wanted fugitives.
Protests in Libya against Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in early February quickly turned into an all out rebellion which ended with the subsequent capture and execution by Libyan rebels. Finally, with the withdrawal of the last army troops out of Iraq, the U.S. has signaled the end of the war on Iraq. International politics and foreign policy have changed significantly this past year and it will be interesting to see how the U.S. embraces and prepares for what lies ahead.
