North Korea’s official media say Kim Jong Un has been named a general, widely seen as a move to place him in line to succeed his father.  Observers have been speculating for the past few years about who might emerge as the next leader of the reclusive nation.  Katy Oh is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

“It is one of the greatest dramas unfolding,” said Katy Oh. “It is unprecedented in history because this is basically dynastic feudalism.”

She says the younger Kim has been working in the influential Workers Party Bureau of Organization and Guidance.

“This is the bureau within the party that hires, fires, kills, promotes, demotes over every elite in the party system,” she said. “The young Kim was working there.  But finally appointing him as a general, together with his aunt and uncle and also one of the uncle’s confidants, basically they are creating the regency behind him because he is too young.  But he is now basically anointed the crown prince.”

Many believe a powerful post also will go to Kim Jong Il’s sister, Kim Kyong Hui, or her powerful husband, Jang Song Taek.  Either one might be trusted to hold power if anything happens to the ailing Kim Jong Il before his son is ready to take charge.  Kim Jong Un is only in his 20s.

Former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill, now Dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, says that the next transfer of power in North Korea is a tricky step.

“To pass power onto a third generation is always more difficult than the second generation,” said Christopher Hill. “And I think we have not seen signs that Kim Jong Un has been particularly groomed for a leadership the way his father was over the course of many years under Kim Il Sung.”

Kim Jong Il is widely believed to have suffered a stroke in 2008, and he appeared frail in photographs taken during meetings with foreign officials in the past few months.  

The Workers’ Party has not had a full party congress since 1980, and the conference of delegates has not met since 1966.  Analysts expect the delegates will fill a number of vacant posts and name younger officials to replace some elderly members.

Next month, the party marks the 65th anniversary of its founding.  

North Korea’s official media say Kim Jong Un has been named a general, widely seen as a move to place him in line to succeed his father.  Observers have been speculating for the past few years about who might emerge as the next leader of the reclusive nation.  Katy Oh is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

“It is one of the greatest dramas unfolding,” said Katy Oh. “It is unprecedented in history because this is basically dynastic feudalism.”

She says the younger Kim has been working in the influential Workers Party Bureau of Organization and Guidance.

“This is the bureau within the party that hires, fires, kills, promotes, demotes over every elite in the party system,” she said. “The young Kim was working there.  But finally appointing him as a general, together with his aunt and uncle and also one of the uncle’s confidants, basically they are creating the regency behind him because he is too young.  But he is now basically anointed the crown prince.”

Many believe a powerful post also will go to Kim Jong Il’s sister, Kim Kyong Hui, or her powerful husband, Jang Song Taek.  Either one might be trusted to hold power if anything happens to the ailing Kim Jong Il before his son is ready to take charge.  Kim Jong Un is only in his 20s.

Former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill, now Dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, says that the next transfer of power in North Korea is a tricky step.

“To pass power onto a third generation is always more difficult than the second generation,” said Christopher Hill. “And I think we have not seen signs that Kim Jong Un has been particularly groomed for a leadership the way his father was over the course of many years under Kim Il Sung.”

Kim Jong Il is widely believed to have suffered a stroke in 2008, and he appeared frail in photographs taken during meetings with foreign officials in the past few months.  

The Workers’ Party has not had a full party congress since 1980, and the conference of delegates has not met since 1966.  Analysts expect the delegates will fill a number of vacant posts and name younger officials to replace some elderly members.

Next month, the party marks the 65th anniversary of its founding.  

North Korea’s official media say Kim Jong Un has been named a general, widely seen as a move to place him in line to succeed his father.  Observers have been speculating for the past few years about who might emerge as the next leader of the reclusive nation.  Katy Oh is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

“It is one of the greatest dramas unfolding,” said Katy Oh. “It is unprecedented in history because this is basically dynastic feudalism.”

She says the younger Kim has been working in the influential Workers Party Bureau of Organization and Guidance.

“This is the bureau within the party that hires, fires, kills, promotes, demotes over every elite in the party system,” she said. “The young Kim was working there.  But finally appointing him as a general, together with his aunt and uncle and also one of the uncle’s confidants, basically they are creating the regency behind him because he is too young.  But he is now basically anointed the crown prince.”

Many believe a powerful post also will go to Kim Jong Il’s sister, Kim Kyong Hui, or her powerful husband, Jang Song Taek.  Either one might be trusted to hold power if anything happens to the ailing Kim Jong Il before his son is ready to take charge.  Kim Jong Un is only in his 20s.

Former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill, now Dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, says that the next transfer of power in North Korea is a tricky step.

“To pass power onto a third generation is always more difficult than the second generation,” said Christopher Hill. “And I think we have not seen signs that Kim Jong Un has been particularly groomed for a leadership the way his father was over the course of many years under Kim Il Sung.”

Kim Jong Il is widely believed to have suffered a stroke in 2008, and he appeared frail in photographs taken during meetings with foreign officials in the past few months.  

The Workers’ Party has not had a full party congress since 1980, and the conference of delegates has not met since 1966.  Analysts expect the delegates will fill a number of vacant posts and name younger officials to replace some elderly members.

Next month, the party marks the 65th anniversary of its founding.  

North Korea’s official media say Kim Jong Un has been named a general, widely seen as a move to place him in line to succeed his father.  Observers have been speculating for the past few years about who might emerge as the next leader of the reclusive nation.  Katy Oh is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

“It is one of the greatest dramas unfolding,” said Katy Oh. “It is unprecedented in history because this is basically dynastic feudalism.”

She says the younger Kim has been working in the influential Workers Party Bureau of Organization and Guidance.

“This is the bureau within the party that hires, fires, kills, promotes, demotes over every elite in the party system,” she said. “The young Kim was working there.  But finally appointing him as a general, together with his aunt and uncle and also one of the uncle’s confidants, basically they are creating the regency behind him because he is too young.  But he is now basically anointed the crown prince.”

Many believe a powerful post also will go to Kim Jong Il’s sister, Kim Kyong Hui, or her powerful husband, Jang Song Taek.  Either one might be trusted to hold power if anything happens to the ailing Kim Jong Il before his son is ready to take charge.  Kim Jong Un is only in his 20s.

Former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill, now Dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, says that the next transfer of power in North Korea is a tricky step.

“To pass power onto a third generation is always more difficult than the second generation,” said Christopher Hill. “And I think we have not seen signs that Kim Jong Un has been particularly groomed for a leadership the way his father was over the course of many years under Kim Il Sung.”

Kim Jong Il is widely believed to have suffered a stroke in 2008, and he appeared frail in photographs taken during meetings with foreign officials in the past few months.  

The Workers’ Party has not had a full party congress since 1980, and the conference of delegates has not met since 1966.  Analysts expect the delegates will fill a number of vacant posts and name younger officials to replace some elderly members.

Next month, the party marks the 65th anniversary of its founding.  

North Korea’s official media say Kim Jong Un has been named a general, widely seen as a move to place him in line to succeed his father.  Observers have been speculating for the past few years about who might emerge as the next leader of the reclusive nation.  Katy Oh is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

“It is one of the greatest dramas unfolding,” said Katy Oh. “It is unprecedented in history because this is basically dynastic feudalism.”

She says the younger Kim has been working in the influential Workers Party Bureau of Organization and Guidance.

“This is the bureau within the party that hires, fires, kills, promotes, demotes over every elite in the party system,” she said. “The young Kim was working there.  But finally appointing him as a general, together with his aunt and uncle and also one of the uncle’s confidants, basically they are creating the regency behind him because he is too young.  But he is now basically anointed the crown prince.”

Many believe a powerful post also will go to Kim Jong Il’s sister, Kim Kyong Hui, or her powerful husband, Jang Song Taek.  Either one might be trusted to hold power if anything happens to the ailing Kim Jong Il before his son is ready to take charge.  Kim Jong Un is only in his 20s.

Former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill, now Dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, says that the next transfer of power in North Korea is a tricky step.

“To pass power onto a third generation is always more difficult than the second generation,” said Christopher Hill. “And I think we have not seen signs that Kim Jong Un has been particularly groomed for a leadership the way his father was over the course of many years under Kim Il Sung.”

Kim Jong Il is widely believed to have suffered a stroke in 2008, and he appeared frail in photographs taken during meetings with foreign officials in the past few months.  

The Workers’ Party has not had a full party congress since 1980, and the conference of delegates has not met since 1966.  Analysts expect the delegates will fill a number of vacant posts and name younger officials to replace some elderly members.

Next month, the party marks the 65th anniversary of its founding.  

North Korea’s official media say Kim Jong Un has been named a general, widely seen as a move to place him in line to succeed his father.  Observers have been speculating for the past few years about who might emerge as the next leader of the reclusive nation.  Katy Oh is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

“It is one of the greatest dramas unfolding,” said Katy Oh. “It is unprecedented in history because this is basically dynastic feudalism.”

She says the younger Kim has been working in the influential Workers Party Bureau of Organization and Guidance.

“This is the bureau within the party that hires, fires, kills, promotes, demotes over every elite in the party system,” she said. “The young Kim was working there.  But finally appointing him as a general, together with his aunt and uncle and also one of the uncle’s confidants, basically they are creating the regency behind him because he is too young.  But he is now basically anointed the crown prince.”

Many believe a powerful post also will go to Kim Jong Il’s sister, Kim Kyong Hui, or her powerful husband, Jang Song Taek.  Either one might be trusted to hold power if anything happens to the ailing Kim Jong Il before his son is ready to take charge.  Kim Jong Un is only in his 20s.

Former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill, now Dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, says that the next transfer of power in North Korea is a tricky step.

“To pass power onto a third generation is always more difficult than the second generation,” said Christopher Hill. “And I think we have not seen signs that Kim Jong Un has been particularly groomed for a leadership the way his father was over the course of many years under Kim Il Sung.”

Kim Jong Il is widely believed to have suffered a stroke in 2008, and he appeared frail in photographs taken during meetings with foreign officials in the past few months.  

The Workers’ Party has not had a full party congress since 1980, and the conference of delegates has not met since 1966.  Analysts expect the delegates will fill a number of vacant posts and name younger officials to replace some elderly members.

Next month, the party marks the 65th anniversary of its founding.  

North Korea’s official media say Kim Jong Un has been named a general, widely seen as a move to place him in line to succeed his father.  Observers have been speculating for the past few years about who might emerge as the next leader of the reclusive nation.  Katy Oh is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

“It is one of the greatest dramas unfolding,” said Katy Oh. “It is unprecedented in history because this is basically dynastic feudalism.”

She says the younger Kim has been working in the influential Workers Party Bureau of Organization and Guidance.

“This is the bureau within the party that hires, fires, kills, promotes, demotes over every elite in the party system,” she said. “The young Kim was working there.  But finally appointing him as a general, together with his aunt and uncle and also one of the uncle’s confidants, basically they are creating the regency behind him because he is too young.  But he is now basically anointed the crown prince.”

Many believe a powerful post also will go to Kim Jong Il’s sister, Kim Kyong Hui, or her powerful husband, Jang Song Taek.  Either one might be trusted to hold power if anything happens to the ailing Kim Jong Il before his son is ready to take charge.  Kim Jong Un is only in his 20s.

Former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill, now Dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, says that the next transfer of power in North Korea is a tricky step.

“To pass power onto a third generation is always more difficult than the second generation,” said Christopher Hill. “And I think we have not seen signs that Kim Jong Un has been particularly groomed for a leadership the way his father was over the course of many years under Kim Il Sung.”

Kim Jong Il is widely believed to have suffered a stroke in 2008, and he appeared frail in photographs taken during meetings with foreign officials in the past few months.  

The Workers’ Party has not had a full party congress since 1980, and the conference of delegates has not met since 1966.  Analysts expect the delegates will fill a number of vacant posts and name younger officials to replace some elderly members.

Next month, the party marks the 65th anniversary of its founding.  

North Korea’s official media say Kim Jong Un has been named a general, widely seen as a move to place him in line to succeed his father.  Observers have been speculating for the past few years about who might emerge as the next leader of the reclusive nation.  Katy Oh is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

“It is one of the greatest dramas unfolding,” said Katy Oh. “It is unprecedented in history because this is basically dynastic feudalism.”

She says the younger Kim has been working in the influential Workers Party Bureau of Organization and Guidance.

“This is the bureau within the party that hires, fires, kills, promotes, demotes over every elite in the party system,” she said. “The young Kim was working there.  But finally appointing him as a general, together with his aunt and uncle and also one of the uncle’s confidants, basically they are creating the regency behind him because he is too young.  But he is now basically anointed the crown prince.”

Many believe a powerful post also will go to Kim Jong Il’s sister, Kim Kyong Hui, or her powerful husband, Jang Song Taek.  Either one might be trusted to hold power if anything happens to the ailing Kim Jong Il before his son is ready to take charge.  Kim Jong Un is only in his 20s.

Former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill, now Dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, says that the next transfer of power in North Korea is a tricky step.

“To pass power onto a third generation is always more difficult than the second generation,” said Christopher Hill. “And I think we have not seen signs that Kim Jong Un has been particularly groomed for a leadership the way his father was over the course of many years under Kim Il Sung.”

Kim Jong Il is widely believed to have suffered a stroke in 2008, and he appeared frail in photographs taken during meetings with foreign officials in the past few months.  

The Workers’ Party has not had a full party congress since 1980, and the conference of delegates has not met since 1966.  Analysts expect the delegates will fill a number of vacant posts and name younger officials to replace some elderly members.

Next month, the party marks the 65th anniversary of its founding.  

North Korea’s official media say Kim Jong Un has been named a general, widely seen as a move to place him in line to succeed his father.  Observers have been speculating for the past few years about who might emerge as the next leader of the reclusive nation.  Katy Oh is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

“It is one of the greatest dramas unfolding,” said Katy Oh. “It is unprecedented in history because this is basically dynastic feudalism.”

She says the younger Kim has been working in the influential Workers Party Bureau of Organization and Guidance.

“This is the bureau within the party that hires, fires, kills, promotes, demotes over every elite in the party system,” she said. “The young Kim was working there.  But finally appointing him as a general, together with his aunt and uncle and also one of the uncle’s confidants, basically they are creating the regency behind him because he is too young.  But he is now basically anointed the crown prince.”

Many believe a powerful post also will go to Kim Jong Il’s sister, Kim Kyong Hui, or her powerful husband, Jang Song Taek.  Either one might be trusted to hold power if anything happens to the ailing Kim Jong Il before his son is ready to take charge.  Kim Jong Un is only in his 20s.

Former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill, now Dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, says that the next transfer of power in North Korea is a tricky step.

“To pass power onto a third generation is always more difficult than the second generation,” said Christopher Hill. “And I think we have not seen signs that Kim Jong Un has been particularly groomed for a leadership the way his father was over the course of many years under Kim Il Sung.”

Kim Jong Il is widely believed to have suffered a stroke in 2008, and he appeared frail in photographs taken during meetings with foreign officials in the past few months.  

The Workers’ Party has not had a full party congress since 1980, and the conference of delegates has not met since 1966.  Analysts expect the delegates will fill a number of vacant posts and name younger officials to replace some elderly members.

Next month, the party marks the 65th anniversary of its founding.  

North Korea’s official media say Kim Jong Un has been named a general, widely seen as a move to place him in line to succeed his father.  Observers have been speculating for the past few years about who might emerge as the next leader of the reclusive nation.  Katy Oh is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

“It is one of the greatest dramas unfolding,” said Katy Oh. “It is unprecedented in history because this is basically dynastic feudalism.”

She says the younger Kim has been working in the influential Workers Party Bureau of Organization and Guidance.

“This is the bureau within the party that hires, fires, kills, promotes, demotes over every elite in the party system,” she said. “The young Kim was working there.  But finally appointing him as a general, together with his aunt and uncle and also one of the uncle’s confidants, basically they are creating the regency behind him because he is too young.  But he is now basically anointed the crown prince.”

Many believe a powerful post also will go to Kim Jong Il’s sister, Kim Kyong Hui, or her powerful husband, Jang Song Taek.  Either one might be trusted to hold power if anything happens to the ailing Kim Jong Il before his son is ready to take charge.  Kim Jong Un is only in his 20s.

Former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill, now Dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, says that the next transfer of power in North Korea is a tricky step.

“To pass power onto a third generation is always more difficult than the second generation,” said Christopher Hill. “And I think we have not seen signs that Kim Jong Un has been particularly groomed for a leadership the way his father was over the course of many years under Kim Il Sung.”

Kim Jong Il is widely believed to have suffered a stroke in 2008, and he appeared frail in photographs taken during meetings with foreign officials in the past few months.  

The Workers’ Party has not had a full party congress since 1980, and the conference of delegates has not met since 1966.  Analysts expect the delegates will fill a number of vacant posts and name younger officials to replace some elderly members.

Next month, the party marks the 65th anniversary of its founding.  

North Korea’s official media say Kim Jong Un has been named a general, widely seen as a move to place him in line to succeed his father.  Observers have been speculating for the past few years about who might emerge as the next leader of the reclusive nation.  Katy Oh is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

“It is one of the greatest dramas unfolding,” said Katy Oh. “It is unprecedented in history because this is basically dynastic feudalism.”

She says the younger Kim has been working in the influential Workers Party Bureau of Organization and Guidance.

“This is the bureau within the party that hires, fires, kills, promotes, demotes over every elite in the party system,” she said. “The young Kim was working there.  But finally appointing him as a general, together with his aunt and uncle and also one of the uncle’s confidants, basically they are creating the regency behind him because he is too young.  But he is now basically anointed the crown prince.”

Many believe a powerful post also will go to Kim Jong Il’s sister, Kim Kyong Hui, or her powerful husband, Jang Song Taek.  Either one might be trusted to hold power if anything happens to the ailing Kim Jong Il before his son is ready to take charge.  Kim Jong Un is only in his 20s.

Former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill, now Dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, says that the next transfer of power in North Korea is a tricky step.

“To pass power onto a third generation is always more difficult than the second generation,” said Christopher Hill. “And I think we have not seen signs that Kim Jong Un has been particularly groomed for a leadership the way his father was over the course of many years under Kim Il Sung.”

Kim Jong Il is widely believed to have suffered a stroke in 2008, and he appeared frail in photographs taken during meetings with foreign officials in the past few months.  

The Workers’ Party has not had a full party congress since 1980, and the conference of delegates has not met since 1966.  Analysts expect the delegates will fill a number of vacant posts and name younger officials to replace some elderly members.

Next month, the party marks the 65th anniversary of its founding.  

North Korea’s official media say Kim Jong Un has been named a general, widely seen as a move to place him in line to succeed his father.  Observers have been speculating for the past few years about who might emerge as the next leader of the reclusive nation.  Katy Oh is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

“It is one of the greatest dramas unfolding,” said Katy Oh. “It is unprecedented in history because this is basically dynastic feudalism.”

She says the younger Kim has been working in the influential Workers Party Bureau of Organization and Guidance.

“This is the bureau within the party that hires, fires, kills, promotes, demotes over every elite in the party system,” she said. “The young Kim was working there.  But finally appointing him as a general, together with his aunt and uncle and also one of the uncle’s confidants, basically they are creating the regency behind him because he is too young.  But he is now basically anointed the crown prince.”

Many believe a powerful post also will go to Kim Jong Il’s sister, Kim Kyong Hui, or her powerful husband, Jang Song Taek.  Either one might be trusted to hold power if anything happens to the ailing Kim Jong Il before his son is ready to take charge.  Kim Jong Un is only in his 20s.

Former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill, now Dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, says that the next transfer of power in North Korea is a tricky step.

“To pass power onto a third generation is always more difficult than the second generation,” said Christopher Hill. “And I think we have not seen signs that Kim Jong Un has been particularly groomed for a leadership the way his father was over the course of many years under Kim Il Sung.”

Kim Jong Il is widely believed to have suffered a stroke in 2008, and he appeared frail in photographs taken during meetings with foreign officials in the past few months.  

The Workers’ Party has not had a full party congress since 1980, and the conference of delegates has not met since 1966.  Analysts expect the delegates will fill a number of vacant posts and name younger officials to replace some elderly members.

Next month, the party marks the 65th anniversary of its founding.  

North Korea’s official media say Kim Jong Un has been named a general, widely seen as a move to place him in line to succeed his father.  Observers have been speculating for the past few years about who might emerge as the next leader of the reclusive nation.  Katy Oh is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

“It is one of the greatest dramas unfolding,” said Katy Oh. “It is unprecedented in history because this is basically dynastic feudalism.”

She says the younger Kim has been working in the influential Workers Party Bureau of Organization and Guidance.

“This is the bureau within the party that hires, fires, kills, promotes, demotes over every elite in the party system,” she said. “The young Kim was working there.  But finally appointing him as a general, together with his aunt and uncle and also one of the uncle’s confidants, basically they are creating the regency behind him because he is too young.  But he is now basically anointed the crown prince.”

Many believe a powerful post also will go to Kim Jong Il’s sister, Kim Kyong Hui, or her powerful husband, Jang Song Taek.  Either one might be trusted to hold power if anything happens to the ailing Kim Jong Il before his son is ready to take charge.  Kim Jong Un is only in his 20s.

Former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill, now Dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, says that the next transfer of power in North Korea is a tricky step.

“To pass power onto a third generation is always more difficult than the second generation,” said Christopher Hill. “And I think we have not seen signs that Kim Jong Un has been particularly groomed for a leadership the way his father was over the course of many years under Kim Il Sung.”

Kim Jong Il is widely believed to have suffered a stroke in 2008, and he appeared frail in photographs taken during meetings with foreign officials in the past few months.  

The Workers’ Party has not had a full party congress since 1980, and the conference of delegates has not met since 1966.  Analysts expect the delegates will fill a number of vacant posts and name younger officials to replace some elderly members.

Next month, the party marks the 65th anniversary of its founding.  

North Korea’s official media say Kim Jong Un has been named a general, widely seen as a move to place him in line to succeed his father.  Observers have been speculating for the past few years about who might emerge as the next leader of the reclusive nation.  Katy Oh is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

“It is one of the greatest dramas unfolding,” said Katy Oh. “It is unprecedented in history because this is basically dynastic feudalism.”

She says the younger Kim has been working in the influential Workers Party Bureau of Organization and Guidance.

“This is the bureau within the party that hires, fires, kills, promotes, demotes over every elite in the party system,” she said. “The young Kim was working there.  But finally appointing him as a general, together with his aunt and uncle and also one of the uncle’s confidants, basically they are creating the regency behind him because he is too young.  But he is now basically anointed the crown prince.”

Many believe a powerful post also will go to Kim Jong Il’s sister, Kim Kyong Hui, or her powerful husband, Jang Song Taek.  Either one might be trusted to hold power if anything happens to the ailing Kim Jong Il before his son is ready to take charge.  Kim Jong Un is only in his 20s.

Former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill, now Dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, says that the next transfer of power in North Korea is a tricky step.

“To pass power onto a third generation is always more difficult than the second generation,” said Christopher Hill. “And I think we have not seen signs that Kim Jong Un has been particularly groomed for a leadership the way his father was over the course of many years under Kim Il Sung.”

Kim Jong Il is widely believed to have suffered a stroke in 2008, and he appeared frail in photographs taken during meetings with foreign officials in the past few months.  

The Workers’ Party has not had a full party congress since 1980, and the conference of delegates has not met since 1966.  Analysts expect the delegates will fill a number of vacant posts and name younger officials to replace some elderly members.

Next month, the party marks the 65th anniversary of its founding.  

North Korea’s official media say Kim Jong Un has been named a general, widely seen as a move to place him in line to succeed his father.  Observers have been speculating for the past few years about who might emerge as the next leader of the reclusive nation.  Katy Oh is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

“It is one of the greatest dramas unfolding,” said Katy Oh. “It is unprecedented in history because this is basically dynastic feudalism.”

She says the younger Kim has been working in the influential Workers Party Bureau of Organization and Guidance.

“This is the bureau within the party that hires, fires, kills, promotes, demotes over every elite in the party system,” she said. “The young Kim was working there.  But finally appointing him as a general, together with his aunt and uncle and also one of the uncle’s confidants, basically they are creating the regency behind him because he is too young.  But he is now basically anointed the crown prince.”

Many believe a powerful post also will go to Kim Jong Il’s sister, Kim Kyong Hui, or her powerful husband, Jang Song Taek.  Either one might be trusted to hold power if anything happens to the ailing Kim Jong Il before his son is ready to take charge.  Kim Jong Un is only in his 20s.

Former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill, now Dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, says that the next transfer of power in North Korea is a tricky step.

“To pass power onto a third generation is always more difficult than the second generation,” said Christopher Hill. “And I think we have not seen signs that Kim Jong Un has been particularly groomed for a leadership the way his father was over the course of many years under Kim Il Sung.”

Kim Jong Il is widely believed to have suffered a stroke in 2008, and he appeared frail in photographs taken during meetings with foreign officials in the past few months.  

The Workers’ Party has not had a full party congress since 1980, and the conference of delegates has not met since 1966.  Analysts expect the delegates will fill a number of vacant posts and name younger officials to replace some elderly members.

Next month, the party marks the 65th anniversary of its founding.  

North Korea’s official media say Kim Jong Un has been named a general, widely seen as a move to place him in line to succeed his father.  Observers have been speculating for the past few years about who might emerge as the next leader of the reclusive nation.  Katy Oh is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

“It is one of the greatest dramas unfolding,” said Katy Oh. “It is unprecedented in history because this is basically dynastic feudalism.”

She says the younger Kim has been working in the influential Workers Party Bureau of Organization and Guidance.

“This is the bureau within the party that hires, fires, kills, promotes, demotes over every elite in the party system,” she said. “The young Kim was working there.  But finally appointing him as a general, together with his aunt and uncle and also one of the uncle’s confidants, basically they are creating the regency behind him because he is too young.  But he is now basically anointed the crown prince.”

Many believe a powerful post also will go to Kim Jong Il’s sister, Kim Kyong Hui, or her powerful husband, Jang Song Taek.  Either one might be trusted to hold power if anything happens to the ailing Kim Jong Il before his son is ready to take charge.  Kim Jong Un is only in his 20s.

Former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill, now Dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, says that the next transfer of power in North Korea is a tricky step.

“To pass power onto a third generation is always more difficult than the second generation,” said Christopher Hill. “And I think we have not seen signs that Kim Jong Un has been particularly groomed for a leadership the way his father was over the course of many years under Kim Il Sung.”

Kim Jong Il is widely believed to have suffered a stroke in 2008, and he appeared frail in photographs taken during meetings with foreign officials in the past few months.  

The Workers’ Party has not had a full party congress since 1980, and the conference of delegates has not met since 1966.  Analysts expect the delegates will fill a number of vacant posts and name younger officials to replace some elderly members.

Next month, the party marks the 65th anniversary of its founding.  

North Korea’s official media say Kim Jong Un has been named a general, widely seen as a move to place him in line to succeed his father.  Observers have been speculating for the past few years about who might emerge as the next leader of the reclusive nation.  Katy Oh is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

“It is one of the greatest dramas unfolding,” said Katy Oh. “It is unprecedented in history because this is basically dynastic feudalism.”

She says the younger Kim has been working in the influential Workers Party Bureau of Organization and Guidance.

“This is the bureau within the party that hires, fires, kills, promotes, demotes over every elite in the party system,” she said. “The young Kim was working there.  But finally appointing him as a general, together with his aunt and uncle and also one of the uncle’s confidants, basically they are creating the regency behind him because he is too young.  But he is now basically anointed the crown prince.”

Many believe a powerful post also will go to Kim Jong Il’s sister, Kim Kyong Hui, or her powerful husband, Jang Song Taek.  Either one might be trusted to hold power if anything happens to the ailing Kim Jong Il before his son is ready to take charge.  Kim Jong Un is only in his 20s.

Former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill, now Dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, says that the next transfer of power in North Korea is a tricky step.

“To pass power onto a third generation is always more difficult than the second generation,” said Christopher Hill. “And I think we have not seen signs that Kim Jong Un has been particularly groomed for a leadership the way his father was over the course of many years under Kim Il Sung.”

Kim Jong Il is widely believed to have suffered a stroke in 2008, and he appeared frail in photographs taken during meetings with foreign officials in the past few months.  

The Workers’ Party has not had a full party congress since 1980, and the conference of delegates has not met since 1966.  Analysts expect the delegates will fill a number of vacant posts and name younger officials to replace some elderly members.

Next month, the party marks the 65th anniversary of its founding.  

South Korean government officials said Thursday North Korea’s leader apparently headed by train for the Chinese border. Officials in Seoul spoke on the condition that they not be identified.

The visit would be Kim Jong Il’s second to China this year. He rarely travels outside North Korea.

Some news reports say that Mr. Kim’s son and heir apparent, Kim Jong Un, is traveling with him.

Baek Seung-joo is a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses in Seoul. He says the visit likely is tied to next month’s meeting of the North Korean Workers’ Party – the first in 40 years.

Baek says the senior Kim probably is informing the Chinese leadership of planned changes within the North Korean power structure.

Other North Korea analysts concur that the trip may be intended to clinch Beijing’s support for a third generation of the Kim family leading the country. But there are doubts among some regional experts in Seoul that the Kims are actually visiting China.

Also on Thursday, North Korea’s central news agency said the country is to receive “emergency relief materials” from China amid reports the impoverished country’s food crisis will worsen this year.

The reports of Mr. Kim’s visit to China come as former U.S. President Jimmy Carter is in the North Korean capital. The U.S. State Department says he is on a private humanitarian mission to secure the release of an imprisoned American.

Aijalan Mahli Gomes was sentenced to eight years of hard labor for illegally entering North Korea and fined the equivalent of 700,000 dollars. He has been held since January.

North Korean television showed Mr. Carter’s arrival at the Pyongyang airport Wednesday.

The announcer says Mr. Carter was greeted by vice foreign minister Kim Gye Gwan and later had a “cordial talk” with Kim Yong Nam, the president of the country’s Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly.

Also this week, China’s top envoy on Korean issues, Wu Dawei, is in Seoul. The South Korean Foreign Ministry says he is here to discuss the resumption of stalled talks about North Korea’s nuclear weapons programs.

Baek at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses thinks the three visits going on this week are linked.  He calls the diplomacy significant and appears connected to efforts to resume the nuclear negotiations.

China is pushing to restart the six-nation nuclear talks. But three participants, South Korea, Japan and the United States, have expressed reservations in wake of the sinking of a South Korean naval vessel in March. An international investigation blamed the sinking of the Cheonan on a North Korean torpedo. Pyongyang denies any involvement.

As in the past, the Foreign Ministry had no immediate response to reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il is visiting China. And officials at the North Korean embassy said they had no information.

During Mr. Kim’s trip to China in May, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu dodged questions about the visit, which was only formally announced after it was over.

She stopped short of confirming his presence, but said high-level visits are determined by consultation between Beijing and Pyongyang.

Jiang says that every country makes what she describes as “appropriate arrangements according to the actual situation” of each visit.

China is North Korea’s biggest supporter and source of aid. Some North Korea scholars think Mr. Kim may seek Beijing’s approval of plans for his son to eventually succeed him. But there is speculation that Mr. Kim wants more help for his impoverished nation.

Official North Korean media say Chinese President Hu Jintao sent a message of sympathy to North Korea because of recent flood losses. A separate report says China will provide aid to help North Korea recover from the floods.

Shi Yinhong, international relations professor at Renmin University, says he thinks the Chinese government is ready to provide some assistance to North Korea.

At the same time, Shi says Beijing will not satisfy all of Pyongyang’s requests. Specifically, he says China will refuse what he described as North Korea’s “excessive demands” for things such as military assistance.

There also are reports that Mr. Kim is bringing his son and heir apparent, Kim Jong Un, with him to meet Chinese officials. Shi says if these reports are true, it would show that Mr. Kim is “determined to let his successor succeed.”

Shi says the Chinese government does not have a say in who is going to inherit power in North Korea, and so will not publicize its views on the matter.

Reports that Mr. Kim is in China coincide with former President Jimmy Carter’s visit to North Korea to seek the release of an American imprisoned there.

Shi says the coincidence of these events could mean there is a chance that stalled talks on ending North Korea’s nuclear weapons programs could resume. China has been the host of the discussions, which also include the United States, North Korea, South Korea, Japan and Russia.

Secretary Gates announced that within the next year, he will close Joint Forces Command – one of the department’s 10 major combat commands.  The 2,800-member organization based in Virginia has an annual budget of $340 million.  It promotes cooperation among the military services, helps determine which forces are needed for which missions and conducts joint training, sometimes including foreign forces.  Gates said some of those functions are no longer needed and others can be done more efficiently by other units.

Gates also announced a series of cuts and freezes designed to sharply reduce the number of senior military officers, civilians and contractors in the defense department, to reduce the number of reports the department generates, and to eliminate redundancy in intelligence gathering, among other steps.

The secretary said the defense department needs to find enough savings to make up for expected slow growth in its half a trillion-dollar base budget in the coming years.  He said he expects about one percent growth, but he noted that the department needs three percent to accomplish all of its missions.

“As I look around the world and see a more unstable world, more failed and failing states, countries that are investing heavily in their militaries, as I look at places like Iran and North Korea and elsewhere around the world, as I look at the new kinds of threats emerging from cyber to precision ballistic and cruise missiles and so on, my greatest worry is that we will do to the defense budget what we have done four times before, and that is slash it in an effort to find some kind of a dividend to put the money someplace else.  I think that would be disastrous,” said Robert Gates.

Gates said the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan do not present a budget problem.  Rather, he said, his concern is about the future.

“This isn’t about finding money for the wars we’re in today,” he said. “We’ve got that money.  It’s about protecting the money for the future.”

The secretary would not specify which future threats he sees as most important, but he noted that the U.S. Navy needs more ships, an element that is critical to the U.S. desire to balance China’s growing capabilities and assertiveness in the Pacific.  

Gates said that in order to defend the country at a time of fiscal restraint, he needs to change the way U.S. defense officials think.

“The ultimate success of these initiatives, as well as the other reforms underway, in the end will depend on a fundamental change in culture and attitude across our defense institutions,” said Gates. “The culture of endless money that has taken hold must be replaced with a culture of savings and restraint.”

The secretary called these steps a “down payment” toward making the defense department more efficient and said they focus resources where they are most needed.  He said he also plans to tackle two politically sensitive issues by looking at potential base closures in the United States and at reducing the skyrocketing costs of military health care.

But unlike most of the steps he announced on Monday, those would require congressional approval.  And many members of congress are concerned about losing jobs in their districts through base closures and about putting more health care costs on the troops.