SEOUL ¨C According to North Korean state television, the heart attack that killed Kim Jong Il on Dec. 17 was ¡°due to severe mental and physical stress from overwork.¡±
That report instantly raised a question in my mind: If we accept the regime¡¯s diagnosis, why did Kim need to work so hard, despite his frail health? In some sense, his sudden death seems to symbolize the helplessness of a desperate leader confronting overwhelming challenges.
Seen in this light, the more important question is whether Kim¡¯s inexperienced son, the twentysomething ¡°Great Successor¡± Kim Jong Un, will be able to consolidate power and somehow steer the country out of its deep malaise.
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