European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 10, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Sunday july 10, 1994 North Korea the stars and stripes Page 11 Kim s son a murky figure in communist Hierarchy Tokyo a Little is known but much is feared about the Man who May inherit the leadership of North Korea s communist regime and control of its secretive nuclear program. With the death of his father Kim ii Sung on Friday at age 82, Kim Jong ii appeared Likely to become the first com munis Leader Ever to inherit the Mantle of Power. The diminutive Junior Kim 52, is revered in his Homeland As the a dear Leader by a personality cult second in its Effus Veness Only to that of his late father. Little is known about the younger Kim in the West except that he has been groomed for the communist worlds first dynastic succession. Rarely seen in Public at times Kim Jong ii has been rumoured to be out of favor within the regime. His most recent appearance according to the japanese news Agency radio press was a May 6 meeting with a Leader of the pro Pyongyang general association of korean residents in Japan. Kim Jong ills portrait is found hanging beside his fathers in North korean households and buildings and his writings and philosophy a mainly Praise for his fathers greatness and Calls for the defense of socialism a Are reported and broadcast daily. Although his father remained the nominal head of a government until Kim Jong ii his death As no. 2 Leader in the ruling 2 million member korean workers party Kim the younger appears to have gradually taken Over the Day to Day running of the nation. He holds the rank of marshal and is us reme commander of the North a 1.1 Mil Ion armed forces the Backbone of the marxist regime. When a state of a Semi War was declared last year after Pyongyang blocked the International atomic Energy Agency a inspectors from its nuclear facilities and other related Sites it was done in the younger Kim a name. A Kim Jong ii has been overseeing the nations nuclear policy and he is a Young Bull a said Katsumi Sato editor of the Tokyo based Korea today Magazine and a noted North Korea watcher. Sato said he believed the Junior Kim would choose to pursue the nuclear option so feared by the rest of the world despite North korean protestations that its nuclear research is for strictly peaceful purposes. South korean analysts have said the younger Kim might use the nuclear Issue to Curry favor with military hard liners who could be a potential source of trouble should he succeed his personal biographical data fun Kim Jong it Are sketchy. The official korean Central news Agency says he was born feb. 16, 1941, in a a secret Camp a when his father was supposedly a guerrilla fighter against the japanese. He was Kim ii Sung a eldest son by his first wife Kim Jung Sook now dead. Reports in Japan describe the younger Kim As a heavy Drinker with a fondness for Beautiful women and foreign films. Among his other official Quot achievements he is said to be North koreans top filmmaker. A a sudden death of great Leader keeps him master of surprises by Lavra King the associated press Seoul South Korea a in life Kim ii Sung had a Knack for the unpredictable. In death he remained in character. Word that the 82-year-old North korean Leader had died from an at heart attack Friday could hardly have come at a moment would generate greater Shock. That very Day his hard line government had opened talks with the United states aimed at resolving a Long running dispute Over whether North Korea is bunding nuclear weapons. Later this month he was to. Sit Down with his South korean counterpart at analysis historic presidential Summit aimed at addressing a wide Range of quarrels Between the two Korea. Just when some answers might have been forthcoming his death raises Only questions whether the nuclear dispute can be resolved whether a Power struggle will erupt in the North and whether the two Korea can find some common ground. Kim a death should not have come As a Complete Surprise. He was 82, and had suffered from various ailments Over the years. Even so he always exuded a crude vigor. Former president Carter who met with him three weeks ago said Kim seemed healthy. Adding to Kim a impression of invulnerability was the personality cult he had built Over the years. He was the a great Leader Quot omnipotent and feared by All. In the stalinist style police state he created his praises were Sung Day and night. From Early on guessing games were Kim a tour de Force. In 1950, Only two years after he was installed by the soviets As the North a Leader he launched the korean War with a lightning strike. That was a Kim Surprise that nearly succeeded. Southern forces were routed at first. But a Force of . Troops finally drove Kim s armies Back. The three year War ended in a bloody stalemate with Borders roughly where they had been. Kim always kept the South guessing. It regarded him As a dangerous Kim ii Sung 1912-1994 key dates in the life of North korean Leader Kim ii Sung april 15,1612 bom Kim Sung jul in a Kyungtae a Village near Pyongyang that became for North koreans a shrine known As Quot the Cradle of the world revolution 1934 joins the chinese communist party and later escapes from japanese police who had put a Price on his head Goestl Moscow where he joins the soviet communist party and fights As a major in the fled my against the nazis1945 returns to Korea with the soviet occupation army one Mort pc before americans enter the Southern part of the Peninsula 1945 with soviet help he becomes Premier of the democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. / june 1950 supplied with soviet planes and tanks he invades South Korea routes the defenders and seizes Large portions of the country. After , troops drive Kim a forces Back North a truce is called in 195&, 1980 Kim a son Kim Jong i is named to three top party posts making him the obvious heir 7,1983 bomb set by North korean terrorists explodes at a National shrine in Rangoon Burma wiling 21 people inc kiting four visiting South korean Cabinet ministers. The blast misses South korean president Chun dog Hwan by minutes nov enter 1987 bomb planted by a North korean spy blows up on a South a korean Airliner killing ail 115 people aboard. June 1994 Kim meets with termer president Carter in Pyongyang and agrees to freeze the North s nuclear program. The United states agrees to open talks with North Korea and a first Ever presidential Summit with South Korea is scheduled for july 27. July 8,1994 Kim ties of a heart attack. Source Theazo cited press enemy but every now and then he held out an Olive Branch. More often than not the South responded. _ South koreans were left wondering whether the presidential Summit would have been just another in a Long line of failed attempts at reconciliation. Even when Kim seemed cornered he always bounced Back. The collapse of communism around the world left his hard line regime strapped for Cash and diplomatically isolated. But he soon had the world dancing to his tune. His government set off an International crisis when it announced 16 months ago that North Korea would no longer allow International inspections a u s a r e u r s4s checks meant to make sure the North a nuclear program was peaceful As it claimed. In the months of wrangling that followed Kim ducked and weaved Tike a Boxer now making a pledge now reneging finally the United states moved to punish him with . Sanctions. That threat combined with incentives apparently brought him Back to the negotiating table. But no one knew whether he was stalling for time or genuinely ready to come to terms. He designated his 52-year-old son Kim Jong ii As his successor. But observers had Long warned that the elder Kim a death could set off a chaotic Power struggle in the North. The 53d ask amp 410th bib Are hosting the 1994 Usa eur Battle of bands on saturday july 23rd in bad Kreuz Nach Germany. The winning Rands Wui represent Usa eur in the fourth annual army Battle of bands contest finals september 12-17 at fort Hood Texas the contest is open to Active duty army military Only All winning bands win receive a Cash award. Contestants must Register by july 18th. Entry categories include Rock n a Roll country Western and specially. Technical rehearsals begin at 9 . On saturday july 23rd at the bad Kreuz Nach Century club blog. 5351, Rose Barracks. For More information and registration Contact your local entertainment Branch office or Call Kathleen Cole at the 53d ask Dan 490-5909 or Civ 0471-792909. 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