The Kims: East Asian Lucretia & Cesare?

[San Lumen]

So if Kim does kick the bucket and if his sister can't hold onto power, could we see a united Korea in the near future?

Its possible but it would be a bloody conflict. I know its not a source but Wikipedia is showing her page as being the Supreme Leader?

[Stellar Colonies]

Gotta keep the pseudo-feudal Communist stratocratic monarchy alive babeyy!

at least they have a women as their leader, unlike us

As if a female strongman Stronkwoman^TM dictator is better than a strongman dictator.

If she does take over, is a bit less provocative, and is more receptive to the US though...

[Rhunnland]

So if Kim does kick the bucket and if his sister can't hold onto power, could we see a united Korea in the near future?

If South Korea/US just rolled into North Korea if the country descends into chaos I'd assume China would intervene, which would obviously be bad. It's possible that NATO or whoever it is wouldn't pull out at that point but I'd think it'd be a costly war if they decided to fight China.

After a while it's possible, but there'd be conflict for a while in my opinion.

[Newark Aristocracy]

So if Kim does kick the bucket and if his sister can't hold onto power, could we see a united Korea in the near future?

Its possible but it would be a bloody conflict. I know its not a source but Wikipedia is showing her page as being the Supreme Leader?

No.

[Aeritai]

So if Kim does kick the bucket and if his sister can't hold onto power, could we see a united Korea in the near future?

Doubt it, China is very happy to have a buffer of influence between themselves and South Korea.

And I guess China won't allow the North Korean government to fall?

[Heloin]

One of the world's most cruel and brutal strongmen dead.

How sad....

Right.

Its not confirmed as of yet

To quote an Irish comedian who's name escapes me, "It's not that they've died, it's that they suffered."

[Nap the Magnificent]

I wont believe it until the North Koreans themselves say anything or there is hard evidence and intel that other countries get and share. It would be really bad if he were to go. While Kim Yo-jong could potentially succeed him the issue is that North Korea is still very, very patriarchal and Kim still had a lot of enemies within the regime that had yet to be dealt with. It could quickly become a...unstable situation.

[Bombadil]

Doubt it, China is very happy to have a buffer of influence between themselves and South Korea.

And I guess China won't allow the North Korean government to fall?

North Korea and Taiwan are vitally strategic to China, South Korea and Japan are already, effectively, air bases for the US, if North Korea folded into the South and Taiwan went independent then China is completely surrounded and cannot project power.

[Greed and Death]

He is obese, but still relatively young. That and he would have access to decent healthcare, even if few people in his country do. Unless he suffered a stroke or a cardiac event as this young of an age (which, not super likely), I can't speculate as to what it might be that potentially incapacitated him like this. Doubt it's COVID, seeing as few people travel into N.K, I do believe that there are very few cases in that country.

Either way, if he kicks it (which doesn't seem super likely), the lack of a viable successor could cause more problems than one might think (as the OP did mention), but simultaneously, Jong-Un is a piece of dirt, yada yada, won't beat a dead horse, so I don't think many would shed a tear about his demise, but the repercussions could harm the North Korean people even more.

Young but he smokes heavily and drinks, as well as being obese.

If I had a guess I would say cancer. I would say Liposarcoma killed mayor Ford who was only 10 years older and Mayor Ford had people who could occasionally cut him off.

[San Lumen]

I wont believe it until the North Koreans themselves say anything or there is hard evidence and intel that other countries get and share. It would be really bad if he were to go. While Kim Yo-jong could potentially succeed him the issue is that North Korea is still very, very patriarchal and Kim still had a lot of enemies within the regime that had yet to be dealt with. It could quickly become a...unstable situation.

She is considered the most likely successor given given her high ranking status and that she put out a statement in her own name recently

[Aeritai]

And I guess China won't allow the North Korean government to fall?

North Korea and Taiwan are vitally strategic to China, South Korea and Japan are already, effectively, air bases for the US, if North Korea folded into the South and Taiwan went independent then China is completely surrounded and cannot project power.

Thought so, if the North Korean government becomes unstable China would most likely install a puppet leader.

[Nap the Magnificent]

I wont believe it until the North Koreans themselves say anything or there is hard evidence and intel that other countries get and share. It would be really bad if he were to go. While Kim Yo-jong could potentially succeed him the issue is that North Korea is still very, very patriarchal and Kim still had a lot of enemies within the regime that had yet to be dealt with. It could quickly become a...unstable situation.

She is considered the most likely successor given given her high ranking status and that she put out a statement in her own name recently

That doesn't mean she'll be able to hold onto power. She can make more power moves easily because she's close to her brother and he has his own loyal cadre that might not be necessarily loyal to her. This is one of those events that could turn into a succession crisis, if it's true that he is dead or effectively such.

[San Lumen]

She is considered the most likely successor given given her high ranking status and that she put out a statement in her own name recently

That doesn't mean she'll be able to hold onto power. She can make more power moves easily because she's close to her brother and he has his own loyal cadre that might not be necessarily loyal to her. This is one of those events that could turn into a succession crisis, if it's true that he is dead or effectively such.

The bottom line is we don't know. Until we get a formal statement from North Korea its speculation given how secretive they are.

[Nouveau Quebecois]

NO! Could this be the death of JucheBol GANG GANG!??!

[Greed and Death]

I wont believe it until the North Koreans themselves say anything or there is hard evidence and intel that other countries get and share. It would be really bad if he were to go. While Kim Yo-jong could potentially succeed him the issue is that North Korea is still very, very patriarchal and Kim still had a lot of enemies within the regime that had yet to be dealt with. It could quickly become a...unstable situation.

She is considered the most likely successor given given her high ranking status and that she put out a statement in her own name recently

Is she single because I would marry her for political power over the country.

[Kargintina the Third]

That doesn't mean she'll be able to hold onto power. She can make more power moves easily because she's close to her brother and he has his own loyal cadre that might not be necessarily loyal to her. This is one of those events that could turn into a succession crisis, if it's true that he is dead or effectively such.

The bottom line is we don't know. Until we get a formal statement from North Korea its speculation given how secretive they are.

His father was dead for several days before the media officially reported it

[San Lumen]

The bottom line is we don't know. Until we get a formal statement from North Korea its speculation given how secretive they are.

His father was dead for several days before the media officially reported it

Oh really? His Sister could already be running things.

[Outer Bratorke]

So if Kim does kick the bucket and if his sister can't hold onto power, could we see a united Korea in the near future?

Korean unification is one of those things that everyone says they support, but no one is really in any hurry to have it happen. Look up the problems West and East Germany had (and still have) during reunification. The unification of North and South Korea would be the same, times 1000.

[Il Borgia Vaticano]

I wont believe it until the North Koreans themselves say anything or there is hard evidence and intel that other countries get and share. It would be really bad if he were to go. While Kim Yo-jong could potentially succeed him the issue is that North Korea is still very, very patriarchal and Kim still had a lot of enemies within the regime that had yet to be dealt with. It could quickly become a...unstable situation.

She is considered the most likely successor given given her high ranking status and that she put out a statement in her own name recently

Someone edited her wikipedia page to say just that.

[Bombadil]

The bottom line is we don't know. Until we get a formal statement from North Korea its speculation given how secretive they are.

His father was dead for several days before the media officially reported it

But a South Korean official familiar with North Korean affairs played down the CCN report, telling the Yonhap news agency that Kim had made several public appearances recently and that “nothing in particular” indicated that he was in poor health.

My gut feel is he's had the reported heart surgery but is simply recovering.

[Il Borgia Vaticano]

His father was dead for several days before the media officially reported it

But a South Korean official familiar with North Korean affairs played down the CCN report, telling the Yonhap news agency that Kim had made several public appearances recently and that “nothing in particular” indicated that he was in poor health.

My gut feel is he's had the reported heart surgery but is simply recovering.

Yeah, admittedly, that's the boring-but-likely story.

[Gig em Aggies]

So if Kim does kick the bucket and if his sister can't hold onto power, could we see a united Korea in the near future?

Korean unification is one of those things that everyone says they support, but no one is really in any hurry to have it happen. Look up the problems West and East Germany had (and still have) during reunification. The unification of North and South Korea would be the same, times 1000.

I figure unification wont happen most likely China and Russia would step in and help the country transition to a new leader that is unless theres another Kim alive besides Kim Jong Un.

[San Lumen]

His father was dead for several days before the media officially reported it

But a South Korean official familiar with North Korean affairs played down the CCN report, telling the Yonhap news agency that Kim had made several public appearances recently and that “nothing in particular” indicated that he was in poor health.

My gut feel is he's had the reported heart surgery but is simply recovering.

You could be right but until we hear anything from the government itself its hard to say with certainty.

[Kargintina the Third]

She is considered the most likely successor given given her high ranking status and that she put out a statement in her own name recently

Someone edited her wikipedia page to say just that.

Its back now

[Khoronzon]

NO! Could this be the death of JucheBol GANG GANG!??!

Even if his body fails, the eternal spirit of JUCHE GANG will live on forever in our hearts. Never lose hope, comrade.