This is just starting to make it into the news, but it warrants close attention.
North Korea’s Kim Jong Il has purged some of his closest relatives, accusing them of trying to seize power, reports in Beijing and Seoul said.
The purge began some months ago when Kim Jong Il put his brother-in-law, Chang Song-taek, under house arrest along with 80 other officials and their family members. Many have reportedly been sent to North Korea’s Gulag in the largest purge in a decade.
Some diplomats believe the power struggles may be connected the pace and scope of economic reforms. Kim Jong Il is reportedly preparing to announce new changes to the political and economic system in late February when the country celebrates his birthday.
A government in disarray, Chinese allies who have lost their patience, a son who is an unlikely replacement for Kim Jung Il, and the leading family that seems to be at each other’s throats. Something to keep an eye on.