Kim Jong Il, North Korea’s mercurial and enigmatic longtime leader, has died. He was 69. Kim’s death was announced Monday by the state television from the North Korean capital, Pyongyang.
Though the regime’s activities are cloaked in secrecy, observers believe the later leader was considering four candidates to succeed him.
Kim Jong-nam
Born: 1971
He is the ruler’s eldest son. His mother is the late Korean movie star Sung Hae Rim, a mistress to Kim Jong Il who lived with him for two decades. She died in exile in Moscow in 2002.
The ruler’s father didn’t approve of the union, so the boy was hidden from public view. He was kept out of schools in Korea until his mid-20s. In 1998, he took on a senior post in North Korea’s domestic intelligence agency. He joined his father on a state visit to China three years later.
In May 2001, he was arrested in Japan while travelling with a forged Dominican Republic passport, and claiming he wanted to visit Disneyland in Tokyo. He was using a Chinese alias and was deported to China. The issue was embarrassing for Pyongyang, and is believed to have caused a rift between the young man and the “Dear Leader.”
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Kim Jong-nam, a computer enthusiast who functions as head of the Korea Computer Center, is thought to be living in Macau, a special administrative region of China. Last year, he said he has no interest in succeeding his father as ruler of North Korea.
Kim Jong-chul
Born: 1981
He is the ruler’s middle son. His mother is Ko Young Hee, a former dancer and the ruler’s third wife.
Kim Jong-chul was educated in Switzerland, where he apparently developed a fondness for the music of Eric Clapton. He is thought to be fluent in English and German.
Three years ago, he was given a high-ranking position in Korea’s Workers’ Party. However, he is not thought to be earmarked as the ruler’s successor. Kim Jong Il’s former chef wrote in a memoir that the ruler thought his middle son was not a good choice because he’s like “a little girl.”
Kim Jong-un
Born 1983 or 1984
The second son of Kim Jong Il and Ko Young Hee has for years been considered the most likey person to be the next ruler of North Korea. Apparently, the “Dear Leader” views him as more politically astute than older brother Kim Jong-chul – and more masculine.
Kim Jong-un reportedly attended school in Switzerland, but those reports have been disputed. Between 2002 and 2007 he attended a military academy in Pyongyang.
He is also thought to speak German, English and French. According to some reports, he is a basketball fan but is overweight, diabetic and prone to health problems.
Two years ago he was reported to be working in the Korean Workers’ Party or the army’s political bureau. Both departments are involved in surveillance and monitoring government officials. Earlier this year he was appointed to the country’s powerful National Defence Commission.
The young man has been described as the spitting image of his father.
Chang Sung-taek
Born: 1946
Married to Kim Jong Il’s sister, Chang is director of the administrative department of the North Korean Workers Party. Some analysts predict he is being lined up to take over from the “Dear Leader” and stay in that position until Kim Jong-un is ready to assume the mantle of power.
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With files from The Associated Press
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