PYONGYANG, North Korea — Today, reports seem to confirm the theory that North Korea's young and enigmatic leader, Kim Jong-un, 36, is believed to be dead. The United States has been consumed by the Coronavirus pandemic and the mounting death toll, which has currently topped 50,000, so the possibility of Kim's death, though noted by political pundits, has barely broken through the noise of the current national discourse.

The "supreme leader," as Jong-un is known, had been absent from the public's eye for some time, and speculations abounded regarding his ill-health. Following the death of his father, Kim Jong II, from a heart attack in 2011, Jong-un became the third-generation hereditary leader, and if he is indeed dead, he would most likely be succeeded by next heir, his sister Kim Yo-jong.

Fears of Jong-un's demise solidified when he missed an April 15 holiday honoring the founder of the country, Kim II Sung, who was his late grandfather. Then, ten days later, on the 88th anniversary of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army, Kim was once again absent, prompting rumors of his demise.

If proven right, the timing could prove additionally problematic for U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been seeking any win to off-set his administration's questionable response to mounting Covid-19 deaths. Trump became the first sitting president to meet with Kim, and in June 2019 stood next to him and his sister, Kim Yo-jong, in the heavily fortified demilitarized zone, which was established during the 1953 armistice which separated North and South Korea.

This third meeting between Washington and Pyongyang was unprecedented. However, these meetings were more advantageous for Kim, who had seized upon the elevation to the global stage by holding additional high-profile meetings, “four with South Korea's President Moon Jae-in, and five with China's President Xi Jinping.” The U.S. meetings did not result in the promised denuclearization deal, and with the possible death of Jong-un, the potential for this deal to be realized is even more unlikely.

When asked at a White House Briefing about Kim Jong-un's condition, the president said, "I think the report was incorrect, let me just put it that way. I hear the report was incorrect. I hope it was an incorrect report," he added, and the administration failed to provide any further comment. "We have a good relationship with North Korea, I have a good relationship with Kim Jong Un, and I hope he's okay. And I think it was a fake report," Trump added.

According to Newsweek, a senior Pentagon official not authorized to speak on the record was quoted as stating that "North Korean military readiness remains within historical norms, and there is no further evidence to suggest a significant change in defensive posturing or national level leadership changes."

Until confirmation of Kim's death by U.S. intelligence agencies, we can only speculate that he is dead as asserted by a "Hong Kong Satellite T.V. executive. Her uncle is purportedly a Chinese foreign minister, and she told her 15 million followers on Weibo that she had a source saying Kim was dead.

If Kim has died, then a succession of leadership would demand that his sister, Yo-jong, assume the reigns of power. According to the Associated Press, which reported that the chances of her being appointed are "more than 90%," per Cheong Seong-chang, an analyst at the Sejong Institute in South Korea who noted that "Yong-un she has "royal blood," and "North Korea is like a dynasty." Kim's sister is reportedly feared, but a capable and accomplished leader who has been groomed for this eventuality.

"Kim Yo-jong is the younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. She joined the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) in 2007, eventually serving as secretariat to her father, Kim Jong-il, until his death in 2011. Kim Yo-jong continued to ascend her party's ranks under her brother's rule, taking control of his image as the first vice-department director of the Propaganda and Agitation Department and later becoming an alternate member of the WPK's powerful politburo. After making a highly publicized appearance at the 2018 Winter Olympics, Kim joined her brother for his denuclearization summits with Trump." (Source: Biography.com)

It remains to be seen if the change in governance will result in the "hermit nation" becoming even more of a player in the global economy, and if under Yo-jong's leadership, the country will accelerate its modernization efforts. If so, Yo-jong will join the ranks of influential female leaders and heads of state, as she shepherds the economic development of North Korea under the auspices of China's global marketplace of state capitalism.

RELATED ARTICLES

• North Korea’s Disappearing Leader: Speculation Grows Around Kim Jong Un’s Health (forbes.com)

• Trump: Reports on N Korea's Kim Jong Un illness are 'fake' news (aljazeera.com)

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• Are female leaders more successful at managing the coronavirus crisis? (theguardian.com)

• Biography of Kim Yo-jong (biography.com)

• Countries currently led by Women (247wallst.com)

• Trump meets Kim Jong Un, becomes first sitting U.S. president to step into North Korea (nbcnews.com)

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