Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Korean Chef Offers Glimpse of 'Lil' Kim'

Jong-Il's heir unlikely to have dad's clout

By Ambreen Ali, Newser User

Posted Jun 15, 2009 2:29 AM CDT

(Newser) – Little is known about the young man expected to succeed Kim Jong-Il as leader of North Korea, and what analysts do know has been gleaned from a book by the ruler’s former chef, the New York Times reports. Kim Jong-Un is the youngest of three sons and most like his father—though his lack of political experience could make him a puppet of manipulative elder subordinates.

"Whoever the new leader is, it will be a collective leadership in name or actuality," said an American analyst. But Kim Jong-Un differs from his father in a key way: He's acutely aware of how his privileged life—with first-world amenities, an English education, and trips abroad—differs from most North Koreans. "What of the lives of the average people?" he once asked the chef.

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (1)]

The North Korean press hasn't shown any images of Kim Jong-Il's youngest son or mentioned him by name. (AP Photo/Korean Central News Agency via Korea News Service, File)

Portraits of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il and his son Kim Jong-Un are burned by South Korean protesters. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Kim Jong-Un, pictured next to his father on this banner during a protest, was his father's favorite as a teen. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

We picture a charismatic young man, authoritarian, politically astute and precocious and ambitious. We picture Little Kim Jong-Il.
- Cheong Seong-chang,
researcher at Sejong Institute,
near Seoul

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

North Korea Punishes 'Insincere' Mourners

Crocodile tears for Kim result in forced labor, source says

(NEWSER) - North Koreans whose mourning of their Dear Leader lacked enthusiasm have been sent to join the 200,000 of their countrymen already in labor camps, according to Daily NK . The South Korea-based website, citing sources in the North, says people who either skipped mourning sessions for Kim Jong Il or didn't seem sincere have been sentenced to at least six months of forced labor, as have people accused of criticizing the dynastic succession system. More»

Kim Jong Un Just a 'Symbol': Dear Brother

Pyongyang elite will rule North Korea: Kim Jong Nam

(NEWSER) - One person who doesn't support the rule of Kim Jong Un: his brother, Kim Jong Nam. "I expect the existing ruling elite to follow in the footsteps of my father while keeping the young successor as a symbolic figure," he reportedly said in an email to a Japanese newspaper. "It is difficult to accept a third-generation succession under a normal reasoning." More»

Kim Jong Il's Body to Be Put on Display—Forever

Embalmed body to rest in Pyongyang mausoleum

(NEWSER) - It seems North Korea was able to dig up enough coins to pickle dear departed leader Kim Jong Il after all. The country announced today that Kim's embalmed body will go on permanent display in a Pyongyang mausoleum. His body had been shown under a glass coffin, but following his Dec. 28 state funeral, it was unclear what would happen next—though media reports claimed that the Russians entrusted with the upkeep of Vladimir Lenin's embalmed body were being flown to North Korea. More»

North Korea Open for Tourism Again

Journalists or South Koreans need not apply

(NEWSER) - Where should you take your next vacation? CNN's Business 360 blog notes that North Korea is accepting tourists again after a winter hiatus. As long as you are not South Korean or a journalist, you should be able to get in as part of a tour group. One agency out of Beijing offers a four-day trip for $1,600, which includes visas and all the guides, food, lodging, and transport you'll need. Just make sure you don't lose that tour group. More»

N. Korea to Free Prisoners for Kim Jong Il's Birthday

Likely another move to shore up support for Kim Jong Un

(NEWSER) - North Korea has announced a round of special pardons for some of its prisoners in honor of what would have been Kim Jong Il's 70th birthday next month, in what the Telegraph sees as an attempt to boost the popularity of Dear Leader's heir, Kim Jong Un. The announcement, made by the state-run Korean Central News Agency, didn't specify how many prisoners would be freed, or what sorts of crimes might be forgiven. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Korean Chef Offers Glimpse of 'Lil' Kim'