After 17 years of rule, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il has passed away from apparent fatigue. He was 69 years old. Kim’s health had been deteriorating for some time; he reportedly suffered a stroke in 2008 and was also said to have been suffering from diabetes and heart disease. The country’s “Dear Leader” took over the role three years after the passing of his father, Kim Il-Sung, in 1994.
Kim’s death raises immediate questions about the security and stability of the region. The South Korean military has been put on high alert with the news of Kim’s passing. North Korea has been grooming Kim’s third son, Jong Un, to take over the position. One danger now posed is in Kim’s senior military officials such as Jang Song Thaek, who has been acting as caretaker for Jong Un’s transition.
