Experts debate North Korea's future

In an earlier post, I noted a report that was claiming Kim Jong-Sicko had not been seen recently and it was under speculation he may be under house arrest.

If the story were true, I asked what the ramifications would be if there were to be a regime change. Would it be a positive development, or more of the same?

A story in the AP Wire, 'Experts debate North Korea's future,' attempts to answer this question.

"Pei Minxin, head of the China program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, said the best policy is to contain the current regime and 'see them out,' he said.

'North Korea's demise is a given,' he said, noting that Kim is 65 and his health is not the best.

'He's overweight. He has no heir in his family, and the record of history shows that that kind of regime has an impossible task picking an heir outside the family.'

Geun Lee, an international relations professor at Seoul National University, said he would support gradual regime change providing it doesn't produce 'disastrous consequences.'

'But that is very unpredictable,' he acknowledged."

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