More from Sasha Mansourov based on his essays at 38 North/SAIS.
But I might take issue with the adjective "reckless" to describe the purges of 2012. It might seem reckless to us but I think they are calculated and so far have resulted in Kim Jong-un's consolidation of power. But there is some interesting speculation on what might happen to Kim Yong-nam.
V/R
Dave
2012/12/27 04:07 KST
(LEAD) N. Korean leader to purge more of the old guard in new year: expert
By Lee Chi-dong
WASHINGTON, Dec. 26 (Yonhap) -- As North Korean leader Kim Jong-un wraps up his first year in power, marked by the reckless purging of several old guard elites, he may replace the country's No. 2 leader, Kim Yong-nam, and some other top officials next year, according to a North Korea expert here.
"Who replaces Kim Yong-nam may tell us about the future direction of the restructuring of the political system," said Alexandre Mansourov, a specialist in Northeast Asian security. He now works as a visiting scholar at the U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University.
He said Kim Yong-nam will likely "honorably retire," rather than being purged.
(Continued at the link below)
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