N Korean leader Kim Jong Il's death puts world on alert
Updated 02:56 PM Dec 20, 2011
SEOUL - It is not often that the death of one man could spark such varied and profound reactions around the globe: Some rejoiced, others wept, military strategists went back to their drawing boards while world leaders reached anxiously for the telephone.
The death of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il (picture) - announced yesterday on state television - achieved just that.
North Koreans poured into the streets yesterday to mourn the death of their "Dear Leader" as political leaders, military strategists and diplomats searched for some signal on the isolated nation's nuclear intentions and its handling of the succession.
Analysts said Kim Jong Il's death could dim hopes for fresh nuclear disarmament talks with the United States and its key Asian allies as Mr Kim Jong Un - an untested and largely unknown heir - takes charge of one of the world's most feared atomic renegade states.
The most crucial question for Washington and Seoul is whether Pyongyang can complete the power transition to Jong Un - now being hailed as the "Great Successor" - and maintain stability.
"The reason people are watching closely is not because we expect the North to strike out, it's because events within North Korea could have unsettling ramifications," said Mr Rod Lyon, a Korea expert at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute in Canberra.
"If there's a contested succession, it means there's a struggle over things like who controls North Korea's plutonium, not just who controls North Korea's army."
Prior to the announcement of his death, North Korea test-fired at least one short-range missile, according to a report in South Korea, adding to worries about potential turmoil.
The White House said President Barack Obama was closely monitoring the situation, and was in constant contact with South Korea and Japan, two of the other countries engaged in six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear programme.
While many welcomed news of the dictator's death, analysts warned that the region could be entering a more dangerous phase.
"Everyone's immediate refrain is 'Oh, great, a tyrant is gone'", said Mr Jim Walsh, North Korea expert at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's security studies programme.
"But actually this is bad news, because it means we are entering a more dangerous phase in North Korean, South Korean and US relations."
He added: "This young leader (Jong Un) is going to have to prove his worth ... And that can lead to miscalculation and inadvertent war."
Two attacks on South Korea last year - the sinking of a warship and shelling of a South Korean island - have been attributed by some North Korea watchers to the younger Kim's efforts to demonstrate his leadership style.
The North's neighbour and only powerful ally, China, said yesterday it was confident the North would remain united and that the two countries would maintain their relationship. Its main concern would be to help ensure peace, amid fears that any unrest or chaos could lead to a flow of refugees into the mainland.
Kim Jong Il's death was announced by a tearful North Korean television announcer. She said the 69-year-old died on Saturday of a heart attack while travelling on his train. His death came after a long illness, dating to 2008, that intelligence agencies believed involved some form of a stroke. His funeral will be held on Dec 28.
In Seoul, South Koreans reacted with both shock and delight as the government put its military on high alert. While some expressed hope that the North Koreans would soon end decades of starvation, others worried about the effects Kim's death would have on the stock market and national security. Agencies
The death of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il (picture) - announced yesterday on state television - achieved just that.
North Koreans poured into the streets yesterday to mourn the death of their "Dear Leader" as political leaders, military strategists and diplomats searched for some signal on the isolated nation's nuclear intentions and its handling of the succession.
Analysts said Kim Jong Il's death could dim hopes for fresh nuclear disarmament talks with the United States and its key Asian allies as Mr Kim Jong Un - an untested and largely unknown heir - takes charge of one of the world's most feared atomic renegade states.
The most crucial question for Washington and Seoul is whether Pyongyang can complete the power transition to Jong Un - now being hailed as the "Great Successor" - and maintain stability.
"The reason people are watching closely is not because we expect the North to strike out, it's because events within North Korea could have unsettling ramifications," said Mr Rod Lyon, a Korea expert at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute in Canberra.
"If there's a contested succession, it means there's a struggle over things like who controls North Korea's plutonium, not just who controls North Korea's army."
Prior to the announcement of his death, North Korea test-fired at least one short-range missile, according to a report in South Korea, adding to worries about potential turmoil.
The White House said President Barack Obama was closely monitoring the situation, and was in constant contact with South Korea and Japan, two of the other countries engaged in six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear programme.
While many welcomed news of the dictator's death, analysts warned that the region could be entering a more dangerous phase.
"Everyone's immediate refrain is 'Oh, great, a tyrant is gone'", said Mr Jim Walsh, North Korea expert at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's security studies programme.
"But actually this is bad news, because it means we are entering a more dangerous phase in North Korean, South Korean and US relations."
He added: "This young leader (Jong Un) is going to have to prove his worth ... And that can lead to miscalculation and inadvertent war."
Two attacks on South Korea last year - the sinking of a warship and shelling of a South Korean island - have been attributed by some North Korea watchers to the younger Kim's efforts to demonstrate his leadership style.
The North's neighbour and only powerful ally, China, said yesterday it was confident the North would remain united and that the two countries would maintain their relationship. Its main concern would be to help ensure peace, amid fears that any unrest or chaos could lead to a flow of refugees into the mainland.
Kim Jong Il's death was announced by a tearful North Korean television announcer. She said the 69-year-old died on Saturday of a heart attack while travelling on his train. His death came after a long illness, dating to 2008, that intelligence agencies believed involved some form of a stroke. His funeral will be held on Dec 28.
In Seoul, South Koreans reacted with both shock and delight as the government put its military on high alert. While some expressed hope that the North Koreans would soon end decades of starvation, others worried about the effects Kim's death would have on the stock market and national security. Agencies
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