Kim Jong-Il goes underground
Tuesday, December 9, 2003
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il has not been seen in public since Oct. 31, fueling concerns that the reclusive communist leader has gone into hiding.
The last public reference to Kim was on Oct. 30, when the Korean Central Broadcasting Agency reported his meeting with a delegation of visiting Chinese officials.
U.S. intelligence officials said Kim dropped out of sight last spring for several weeks during the military operation in Iraq. Officials at the time said Kim feared the United States might try to conduct a strike against him, coinciding with the Iraq operations.
U.S. security sources said Kim is concerned about increased U.S. accuracy with unmanned air vehicles [UAVs) or drones which delivered targeted attacks with smart bombs and missiles during the Iraq War.
Meanwhile, the Tokyo Shimbun newspaper reported that Kim's eldest son, Kim Chong-Nam might return to North Korea. Quoting a North Korean source in Beijing, the newspaper said the younger Kim was reportedly banished from North Korea following an ill-fated attempt to enter Japan in May 2001. He is currently believed to be in Austria and could return to Pyongyang before the end of the year.
Senior North Korean officials were recently in Austria. Their visit is believed to be connected to preparing for Kim Chong-Nam's return home.
The source said the son would be appointed to a senior post in the North Korean State Security Department.
The probable return has fueled speculation that the son has reemerged as a possible successor to the 61-year-old Kim Jong-Il.
U.S. officials said North Korean media have not reported or commented on Chong-Nam's possible return.
www.ctrl.org DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply.
Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at:
http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Om
