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Speculation intensified Thursday over the whereabouts of new North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s siblings, who had apparently yet to surface three days after the announcement of the death of their father, Kim Jong-il.
In particular, much intrigue surrounds Kim Jong-nam, the eldest son of the late ruler who reportedly lives in semi-exile and is seen by some as a dark horse to challenge the power of his youngest half-brother. His location remains unknown.
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Since the announcement of the death, Pyongyang has heralded Jong-un as the “Great Successor.” But the sudden transfer has many on edge over whether the young man thought to be 28 can truly keep a firm grip on power in the Stalinist state.
A two-day state funeral will be held beginning Dec. 28 at the Kamsusan Memorial Palace, sparking speculation over whether the two brothers will share the room together.
Kim Jong-nam, believed to live mostly in Beijing and Macau, reportedly fell out of favor after travelling on a fake passport in 2001. After the senior Kim suffered a stroke in 2008, he began grooming Jong-un, the child reported to take the most after him, for the top post.
Jong-nam, who reportedly has a penchant for gambling, has given rare interviews with foreign press in which he said he was not interested in the succession process. His son, Han-sol, made headlines earlier this year when his Facebook account was discovered by media on which he said he preferred to democracy to communism.
If he does show up, watchers will be interested in whether Jong-nam defers to his younger half brother, which given the North’s hierarchical structure and emphasis on seniority would represent a major sign of unity.
A possible precedent emerged when Kim Ok, the fourth wife of the late leader and a director of the powerful National Defense Commission, bowed deeply to the new leader during the mourning ceremony.
The late Kim was said to have fathered four children. Jong-nam was mothered by his first wife, Sung Hae-rim, who died in 2002. Jong-un and his older brother, Kim Jong-chol, were born to his third companion, Ko Young-hee as was their younger sister Kim Yo-jong.
Great attention has been paid to a rather gaunt young woman who stood behind as Jong-un greeted guests at Tuesday’s service in photographs released by the North’s media. Some guessed she was Yo-jong, though previous images show her with a rounder face.
Some suggested it could be Jong-un’s rumored wife, though there have been no official reports of such a relationship.
Little is known about any of Kim’s offspring due to the secretive nature of the regime. But he is believed to have picked Jong-un as his successor after growing weary of his wayward eldest and finding Jong-chol to be too effeminate.
Despite being heralded as the next leader, even Jong-un remains a hazy figure. He is believed to be in his late 20s, and having studied for a time in Switzerland, to be proficient in English, French and German. He is reportedly an avid sports fan.
Analysts point to Jong-nam’s skeptical comments on the succession as one indication that Jong-un still has a way to go before securing full power.
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