Korean Chef Offers Glimpse of 'Lil' Kim'

Jong-Il's heir unlikely to have dad's clout
By A Ali,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 15, 2009 2:29 AM CDT
Korean Chef Offers Glimpse of 'Lil' Kim'
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)

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. (More Kim Jong Il stories.)

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