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North Korean Leader Kim Jong Il Has Died Aged 70, South Korea On Emergency Footing
Just out on Yonhap:
- North Korea says its leader Kim Jong-il has died.
- N. Korean leader died of fatigue at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 17 during train ride: KCNA
From Daily Yomiuri:
- Cause of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's death is said to be a stroke.
And Reuters confirms:
- NORTH KOREA STATE TELEVISION SAYS KIM JONG IL HAS DIED
Great. More geopolitical uncertainty. Because as the Arab Spring has shown us there is nothing quite as stable as a transitory military government to fill a power vacuum (also see Thermidorian reaction during the French Revolution).
As expected the South Korean response is immediate.
- S. Korean gov't shifts to emergency footing on news of N.K. leader's death
South Korean on emergency alert following the news:
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) on Monday placed all military
units on emergency alert following the news of North Korean leader Kim
Jong-il's death.
The JCS said it called an emergency meeting
of officials handling crisis management and operations just after noon
Monday, after the North Korean media reported Kim's death.
Some more from Reuters:
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il died on Saturday on a train trip, a tearful state television announcer, dressed in black, reported on Monday.
The announcer said that the 69-year old had died of physical and mental over-work on his way to give "field guidance".
He had suffered a stroke in 2008, but appeared to have recovered.
The reclusive state had begun the process of transferring power to his son Kim Jong-un, believed to be in his late 20s.
And Yonhap:
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, who ruled the communist nation with an iron fist while pursuing nuclear weapons programs, has died, state media said Monday. He was 69.
Kim, who took over North Korea after his father and national founder Kim Il-sung died in 1994, "passed away from a great mental and physical strain" during a train ride at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, the Korean Central News Agency said in an urgent dispatch.
Bloomberg chimes in:
- A govt statement called on North Koreans to “loyally follow” his son, Kim Jong Un
- Kim, 70, died on Dec. 17 of exhaustion brought on by a sudden illness while on a domestic train trip, the official Korean Central News Agency says
- Kim probably had a stroke in August 2008 and may have also contracted pancreatic cancer, according to South Korean news reports
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Fidel's still around, but Raul is the guy in the box. You may need a two-for-one.
Personally, if another dictator has to bite the dust in the next two weeks, I'll hope for (albeit former dictator) Cheney. I'd love to see the whole Bush clan wiped out, too. Uh oh, now I can't stop! I want every R-pres candidate (except Paul, of course) taking a dirt nap by tomorrow...tonight, I mean! Maybe a quick HAARP-quake could knock that peace prize off the top shelf and on to Obummer's crown.
Dammit! I knew I'd forgotten one... DIE, (the) bERNANK, DIE!!!
mubarak
"More geopolitical uncertainty."
Yup. 'Nuf said.
Year 2011 is a bad year for dictators...
Especially ones in sunglasses.
where are the nukes????
and the gold.
And the Karaoke machines.
And the poontang.
Golf.
And here I was all ready for a match game with the little fucker after that Glorious Round where he stayed top of the Leader Board all day.
Shit.
is that the successor?
Ah, the fate which awaits us all.
BTW - Kudos to ZH getting this story out so quickly.
There goes the best golfer in the world...
... and best music composer.
And don't forget his hair!
He had the sexiest glasses ... has anyone informed Hans Blix?
You obviously don't remember Wojciech "I wear my sunglasses at night" Jaruzelski, 1980s leader of Poland, and of notorious martial law-period infamy:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-SJIfLg_OcJ0/TXY_x8W-9bI/AAAAAAAAdB8/m...
(and look at that --- he was a Boy Scout too!)
Damn ... I forgot that guy ... he always reminded me of Davros off Dr. Who ...
Just mentioned the rumor on CNN and trying to confirm
Kim Jong Il: Now you see, the changing of the worrd is inevitabre!
Lisa: I'm sorry, it's what?
Kim Jong Il: Inevit, inevitabre.
Lisa: One more time.
Kim Jong Il: [shouts] Inevitabre! Things are inevitabrey going to change! Goddamnit, open your fucking ears!
Best tweet so far: "Blimey Kim Jong Il died. For you stupid people who don't keep up with current affairs, she was the president of North Korea."
+ 1
LOL!
Crying funny.
You're not supposed to do that when I've got bronchitis.
Worse than finding out how badly I am out of shape getting tried and winded from a wank.
+ 1
That's pretty funny too! You must be about my age...
Dude ... too much info
North Krorea --- that's like, between Syrious and Eye-ran, right?
I know it's one of them terrist Axes of Evil, anyway.
Fight 'em over there so we don't have to fight 'em over here!
USA! USA! USA! USA!
Bachman/Palin 2012!
lol
I am sure whoever takes over will be just as reasonable and intelligent...ahem, and as good a golfer (Obama will want to play a round soon I am sure).
All is good in the world.
Hope my wife doesn't find the nukes. She is at war with me today and may use them. No this is not a coded message.
No more prostitutes for Kim Jong Il. Now all he has is maggots eating him all up instead of Asian sluts.
He had a predilection for scandinavian women.
Rumor has it half of norway slept with him.
Can't lay any blame there. Scandinavian women are smokin hot.
Well, that wasn't a swipe against Kim - it seemed more directed at the Norwegian sluts with the bad taste to sleep with him.
And they didn't even know it.
The Legend begins ! Why don't you make a baloon of him for Macy's Thanks Giving parade !
so, his son seems to be a nice dict... er, guy! give him a chance! just to prove how much of a nice guy he is, a south korean missile launch should suffice!
Is that good or bad for South Korea? that may have some impact
It's Fucking Great!
Just think of all the starving malnourished short (like 4'2" short)excess labor in the North can be sent to work in Newt's coal mines in place of American child labor.
Save the Childern Donations Accepted Here.
They supply their own slave drivers/guards, you know, to make sure none of the only thing they make for export escapes.
i'M SHORT AND i CAN SURVIVE ON ONE EGG A DAY. Damn Caps. The NKs and I will survive a food shortage. What happens to the average American when Mcd's closes?
We BBQ the little people.
Now who the Hell are we going to kill on POTUS Eve 2012 in order to avert attention from the stolen election?
Lady Gaga works for me
mother freeking genius she is
omg...what should I wear to the funeral? Should I bring any gift?
the gift a 5 yr old mercedes
In lue of flowers, Kim requested donations be sent to the Little Man Syndrome Research Fund in his name. That's Il with one L not two.
Gray and anything gray.
Man! You guys were the first! Cant belive it!
Mainstream media sucks!
CNN has it.
Yes, now!
All hail Kim Jong-un or as he's known in North Korea, "tubby".
A Communist Monarchical Dynasty! Three generations Red!
this is fucking nuts
My guess is that the family wanted to take advantage of the estate tax this year vs chance next years rules. Damn you Congress
at least his son was born in north korea, isn't that so oBLAHma?
He will rise again in three days.
And then fall again when the Viagra wears off.
I worship Crom.
And you?
I worship Crom also but he laughs at me.
sheesh
http://youtu.be/K5nUUD8SM0Y
The DEAR LEADER is DIEDED? Tomorrow I wear my NK Pantsuit in solidarity.
BITCHEZZZZ!
Cheers
Hillary already beat you to it.
chinas on top of it. no worry they got a new boggy man there to pull up the slack when needed
Strike another little dictator off the United Nations NATO Association of Assassins for Peace (UNNAAP) hitlist.
I weep at the state of our national media. Not even the leading story. This apparently falls behind the Tebow-Brady football game.
There's gonna be some long faces on CNN !
Long Potassium iodide
short bibimpop
anyone holding AUD shorts/puts etc. Well done. Have a nice x-mas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSXNJMP8ir4&feature=related
tired and ronry
...and his new set of gorf crubs just arrived.
In which Goldman Sachs office did his son work in?
Icarus
Fuck that monkey. Will Fedex deliver piss to his grave for me?
I am sure several million N. Koreans will do the job for you when they get the chance.
You don't understand N K very well do you
OWS will wear black armbands !
Just yesterday I was reviewing Banzai7s horoscope for 2011 and wondering about the image in the lower right.
Looks more like Heaven than Hell. Needs some retouching.
I see your point, if Kim (Neo) is really " the one", he should be flying around all over the matrix any second now
BBC had it. Wtf happened to the yen? All the way down to 127.
you'll be missed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdug6yHJB40&feature=related
probably a repost...can't find other scenes. the baldwin one etc
You are worthress Arec Barrwin!
hahaha...i can't find that one
http://youtu.be/tp3bhU-XP-8
hahahahaha ah man, forgot how funny that movie was. And yes they even have a go at the French.
classic
Died of fatigue. OMG - the poor little guy. Done worked hisself to death. Sob.
That's funny, most of his people died of starvation.
+1 regional stability....
Kim Jong long gon.
No cry. He die.
I hear his son is as ruthless as they come...but i like that homes....i like that!!!
These where Kim Jung Il final words. Dear capitalist pigs, http://goo.gl/CjXwz
ES fighting to hold 1200
I think it will, the u.s. is still relatively stable compared to the rest of the world.
Yeah, "relatively" being the key word.
Kim Jong-il's former cabinet should be rubbing their hands now.
They have an opportunity to put his son as a less than talented puppet head of state and for them to reap the even greater rewards from the influx of western corporations who will pry on North Korea's population, using them at first as a cheap labor, while in the process selling them the newly founded fruits produced by modern markets, gradually fabricating in this manner, the illusion of the inception of a middle class.
A North Korean oligarchy in its infancy, protected by capitalism and powered by cronyism. In return for their gold, of course.
Long Coca Cola + CheapMart
Rising unrest in China. Iran rattleing sabres and having to check official cars for surprises before they get in. British and Eurps making military plans in case thing go pear shape due to fianancial melt down. And etc.
Knowing how dumb ass most US defense industry managers are I hate to reccomend them, but the way things are going they might be worth a punt on the long.
KIM JONG AIN'T GOT SHIT ON ME!!!!!!!!!
The man was a mystery, an enema.
Sounds like nice timing for Obama to invade and secure that second term. Oh wait, who's gonna pay for that one?
I would have thought this would be bullish for the ES. Hmm.....
Wait a minute...is he Il or not???
Obama got rid of another one!
Obama is one !
Couldn't happen to a more deserving guy. Saw it on Bloomberg TV first, actually.
Good riddance to the queery little runt.
And to think they sacrificed a perfectly good train station trying to get him.
No more jumpsuit wearing dictators left to mock? A sad day. [sniff sniff]
What about Hillary?
Chavez likes orange jump suits !
Please! We were of course only discussing the dickless ones.
...and can she please change her hair back?
This chubby-cheeks-and-bald-head-painted-blonde look is not good.
She should fire her image consultant...pronto.
jenny craig, ain't doin her any favors either.
Kospi down over 4%. Hon Kong over 2%
Dow, S&P futures also getting creamed.
He's so roanery, so roanery...
I'm So Ronery
So ronery
So ronery and sadry arone
There's no one
Just me onry
Sitting on my rittle throne
I work rearry hard and make up great prans
But nobody ristens, no one understands
Seems like no one takes me serirousry
And so I'm ronery
A rittle ronery
Poor rittle me
There's nobody
I can rerate to
Feel rike a bird in a cage
It's kinda sihry
But not rearry
Because it's fihring my body with rage
I'm the smartest most crever most physicarry fit
But nobody else seems to rearize it
When I change the world maybe they'll notice me
But until then I'rr just be ronery
Rittle ronery, poor rittle me
I'm so ronery...
Now we will see if Kim Jong eel's son, Bill Von Ill makes it through the evening, or if ambitious generals decide to chop his head off for sport.
So. The war drums will be beating soon. Of course, gold will go down tomorrow.
+ 1
Of course.
Tomorrow? Down $10 already!
So here's the real test of the future for North Korea...
IF his son has a brain in his head (he's been educated in Switzerland), he'd call in all of the top generals and have them shot on the spot. He'd then immediately announce that North Korea is backing away from it's nuclear weapons program. Using diplomatic channels, he'd open dialogue with the west, gain food and fuel guarantees and start unification talks with the south with a 5 year timeline. He'd then start to slowly release political prisoners and kick start economic trade in an attempt to move forward.
At least, that's what I'd do....
One reason he won't - the Kim's have a national agency that monitors all the attractive young women, prevents then from having boyfriends and then picks the best for residency in their various mansions after being trained at dancing, massage, their particular sexual desires, etc. . They have a couple dozen in each of 100+ mansions. Unless he's gay, he's not going to give that up.
Damn, this news really tanked futures. The Euro-Dollar has taken a bashing as well.
According to Rickards, if the Euro stays below 1.30 and the Chine pegs to the dollar again then QE3 is assured. Therefore, don't sell your gold just yet.
http://kingworldnews.com/kingworldnews/KWN_DailyWeb/Entries/2011/12/18_Jim_Rickards_-_This_Will_Send_the_Price_of_Gold_to_the_Moon.html
Declining gold prices only mean "buying opportunity" for me. I will only trade my gold, not sell it. For me, gold is a hedge against the whims of fiat currency. I am fortunate enough to be able to purchase gold and other precious metals on the side, while existing on fiat currency. While I allow the PMs to accrue on the side, I am able to live off of my remaining fiat salary. Not many people in the US have that luxury. In the coming collapse, I anticipate that my savings (denominated in USD) will become worthless and that both my physical gold and silver holdings will be of utmost value. Unfortunately, 99% of Americans either don't believe this or dont' earn enough to purchase PMs (after they take care of their living expenses). This can only end in disaster.
what is this fat currency people keep talking about?
Phat currency.
/sarc
fiat ... you know ... like the car.
Clive Maund: "This being so it is clear that both gold and silver are in the late stages of large top areas from which they are both soon likely to break down, and also that a major deflationary episode is in the works that will see the still elevated broad stockmarket suffer a severe decline, probably similar to that which occurred in 2008."
Clive, you so funny!
(about the so-called deflation, not a stock market decline)
Clive has had to change his tone after no free updates for a while. He was calling silver to the moon after the big drop, and was dancing on the grave of all the bullish analysts for missing the drop that he called. Made a pretty big deal about those who were "wrong"... the more he beat his chest and emphatically call for the PMs to Phoneix from the ashes, the less likely his call seemed credible. Sometimes arrogance is good contra indicator
I find it funny that today (12/19) is the south korea president's birthday. lol.
Happy 70th Lee!
What a gift.
"N. Korean leader died of fatigue at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 17 during train ride: KCNA"
Can people die of fatigue like horses?
In other words, they are saying that He is dead, and the cause is none of your goddam business. Maybe, it is fatigued as in 71 year old man trying to have sex with a couple of 20 something girls while riding a moving train. It is good to be the king.
Scary stuff. Anybody interested should read Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea. Kim Il-sung was considered by the people to be a demi-god, they literally could not believe it when he died. And he remains the president of the country. The people are told that if they just believe hard enough, he will come back to life. Really. Both great and dear leaders were considered experts in everything. If one inspected say a chicken farm, and suggested that washing the chickens would make them lay better, it was done, and newspapers would report on the brilliant solution the leader had provided. These are the most brainwashed people in the world. This is a taste.
a nation of schmucks?
Schmucks only because their whole lives they have been lied to.
A lady that survived the starvation, crossed the river into communist china. She was wandering around, not knowing where to go. She saw the gate to a farm and just inside was a bowl of rice on the ground. She thought that's strange, who would leave a bowl of rice on the ground? As she considered eating the rice, she heard a dog bark and realized: The dogs in china eat better than the people in North Korea.
Alternate ending: the people in North Korea better eat the dogs in China.
Hey Mr. A... I've got an early Christmas present for you...
Mr. A smiles and accepts gift box... and opens it up to find a card, handwritten by the younger Mr. Webbot.
On the card, this is what it says...
There's this person on ZH:
Have fun with your new toy! Merry Christmas Mr. A!
Stockholm Syndrome.
Couldn't have happened to a nicer dictator!
Make room in hell! Perhaps he could also take his soul mate in the White House, the American Dictator, with him, and thereby spare us the tyranny!!
Did he transfer his License to Il to his kid...
Great...now it's just an axis of minor malfeasance.
" died of physical and mental over-work "
please!!!! watching CNN and drinking your favourite cognac while the people starve
must be so strenuous
Ok boys and girls here you go!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXQ8unERVTE
If this is what the end of 2011 looks like, I can't wait for 2012. Wholly shit we're fucked.
a terrible loss
Dude got Re-Hypothecated.
It happens :(
Dude got Re-Hypothecated.
It happens :(