Intelligence report says Kim's younger sister is now responsible for the nation's relations with the US and South Korea.

"Kim Yo Jong is a de facto second-in-command," Ha [Tae-keung, an opposition party legislator on the South Korean parliament's intelligence committee] added, in a transcript of remarks seen by the Reuters news agency.

More authority on economic and military policy has also been delegated to several other senior officials, although at a lower level, possibly to reduce strain on Kim Jong Un as well as help him avoid blame for any failures, Ha said.

    • PKMKII [none/use name]
      ·
      4 years ago

      If the same leaders keep getting elected because they’re competent and skilled, that’s one thing. The problem is when it becomes apparent that they’re failing the organization/base but they keep getting elected out of a sense of obligation or tradition.

        • Saif [he/him]
          ·
          4 years ago

          No, but legally mandating in the supreme law of the land that a specific family leads the worker's party is cutting it pretty damn close. Apparently in 2013 they amended the Ten Principles - a document which supersedes even their constitution- to include the special status of the "Baekdu bloodline" (the Kim family, cause traditionally Kim Il-Sung was born on mount Baekdu) as eternally carrying out the Party and the revolution.

          look, I have critical support for the DPRK in its struggle against the imperial powers, and I'll never criticize them in view of chuds, but it's impossible to deny the very un-Marxist way the Kim family has effectively enshrined itself legally in a way that goes beyond pragmatism, with all of this talk of special bloodlines and eternal dynasties. It's shockingly reactionary, and like any old monarchy could lead to incompetent foppish rulers with no interest in furthering the communist struggle gaining power over the party just by being born with the right name alone.