SANTO DOMINGO. - Reports appearing today from various sources and agencies indicate that one of Kim Jong-il's sons will be chosen as his successor.
The eldest of Kim’s three known sons, Jong-nam, 34, was deported from Japan in 2001 on suspicion of trying to enter the country using a forged Dominican Republic passport.
According to a report from the Russian news agency Itar-Tass issued on Tuesday, North Korea could announce this month an eventual successor to leader Kim Jong-il, quoting a diplomatic source in Pyongyang.
“An announcement about the appointment of a successor could be made as early as this month, timed for the celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of the (North Korean Labor Party),'' the unnamed source told Tass.
Jong-nam was sent to China from Japan and was quoted as saying at the time that he was trying to visit Tokyo Disneyland, and reportedly fell out of favor with Kim, 63, over the incident and has since been the target of two assassination attempts, according to South Korean media reports.
