Kim Jong-il is dead...

[E-25]

Shame that we've lost two stars of fashion this year...

http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,2055860_2248097,00.html

[Candescence]

he died a ronery man. feels bad man.

Funny thing is, he actually found that movie hilarious. Say what you will about the man, but he knew how to laugh at himself.

[Patticus]

I am reminded of this video trailer for THQ's shooter Homefront. Why? It's 2011 and Kim Jong-il is dead, just as the trailer predicted.

North Korean dominance of the western Pacific begins here, folks! D:

[Stacy]

YES!

Sorry if this seems cold, but I am glad he is dead.

The man was a ruthless dog that enslaved his people and tortured and kill anyone who disagreed with him and threated the west.

Sadly, another ruthless person will take his place most likely one of his sons.

A coup would be brilliant but sadly that probably won't happen.

Kim Kong was Il *Puts sunglasses on* Now he is dead!

Edited December 19, 2011 by BW251211

[Flyboy Fox]

I was surprised to wake up and find this splashed all over the news sites. I mean, we've all known that Kim Jong-il has been unwell for a while... He had a stroke a couple of years ago, and his age has shown in the few glancing photo opportunities he's given since. And we all saw how he was grooming his third son to replace him. But I hadn't imagined that he was quite so ill as to drop dead on a train whilst still in his 60s. A tyrant like that you sort of expect to go on forever.

I can't say that I'm sorry he's dead, but I will stop short of crowing over it. That's just uncouth, in my humble opinion. If North Korea was now free, I could understand the sentiment a little more, but as it stands his brother-in-law is most likely holding the reins now until Kim Jong-un is ready to take over. A son who has been raised for the very purpose is unlikely to be any more lenient than his father was.

"Experts say Jong-un has the intelligence and leadership skills that make him suitable to succeed his father. He is also reported to have a ruthless streak that analysts say he would need to rule North Korea."

Worrying indeed. On the flip-side, incompetence could be just as bad.

"Kim Jong-un is a pale reflection of his father and grandfather. He has not had the decades of grooming and securing of a power base that Jong-il enjoyed before assuming control from his father," said Bruce Klingner, an Asia policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation in Washington.

"(He) may feel it necessary in the future to precipitate a crisis to prove his mettle to other senior leaders or deflect attention from the regime's failings."

Either way, North Korea can't take a breath of freedom quite yet.

The man is the same age as me (late 20s), which means he has all of youth, vim and vigour on his side, as well as his inheritance.

I see this news as sombre, not a reason to celebrate.

[PaddyFancy]

I am reminded of this video trailer for THQ's shooter Homefront. Why? It's 2011 and Kim Jong-il is dead, just as the trailer predicted.

North Korean dominance of the western Pacific begins here, folks! D:

Now all we need is the sequel to say, "its 2012, and the world has its internet back".

[Axl.EXE]

I just watched the Wizard of Oz last night.

Those Munchkins were right. Ding-dong, the witch is dead.

[Stacy]

I am reminded of this video trailer for THQ's shooter Homefront. Why? It's 2011 and Kim Jong-il is dead, just as the trailer predicted.

North Korean dominance of the western Pacific begins here, folks! D:

Yeah that's quite freaky. Having said that though it could be the opposite in that North Korea falls apart over a power struggle or even declears war on the South ala World in Conflict.

That would be very worrying because its all so close to China, Russia and Japan.

Edited December 19, 2011 by BW251211

[Chaos Warp]

Well, he really deserved it, so I don't feel one bit of sadness for him. It's too bad that his son will just secede him with more of the same, instead of some change.

[Flyboy Fox]

If anything, this is pretty much the worst thing that could happen to North Korea right now. There won't be any break for the people, but there will be a whole lot of turmoil as things get resettled and Jong-un flexes his muscle to see how far he can go to gain the support and respect of his people. He's likely to test the limits, and he's very young to be put in this position. He has all of the grooming and breeding and immersion to take the same ultra-militant approach to ruling, but none of the experience and understanding to know his limits. His regime, as a result, could be far more unstable and frightening than even his father's.

[Delta Starfire]

If anything, this is pretty much the worst thing that could happen to North Korea right now. There won't be any break for the people, but there will be a whole lot of turmoil as things get resettled and Jong-un flexes his muscle to see how far he can go to gain the support and respect of his people. He's likely to test the limits, and he's very young to be put in this position. He has all of the grooming and breeding and immersion to take the same ultra-militant approach to ruling, but none of the experience and understanding to know his limits. His regime, as a result, could be far more unstable and frightening than even his father's.

Agreed. And that's why I think South Korea is probably right to go on alert. It seems that whenever there's internal strife in North Korea, they get very hostile towards the South.

[Swiss]

(Sorry if it's in bad taste, but I couldn't help but laugh...Slowpoke gets me every time!)

Seriously though, was very surprised to wake up to this news this morning! Things are going to be rough as hell in their country for a while though. D:

[Stacy]

Agreed. And that's why I think South Korea is probably right to go on alert. It seems that whenever there's internal strife in North Korea, they get very hostile towards the South.

Yep, they did a missile test after they announced his death, shows how paranoid they are.

Poor sods they must of have been practising all year with an AK-47 pointed at their heads.

Edited December 19, 2011 by BW251211

[Kevin]

I woke up to the news this morning. Despite the news coming as a surprise, he has been unwell recently, so it was clearly a question of "when".

If anything, this is pretty much the worst thing that could happen to North Korea right now. There won't be any break for the people, but there will be a whole lot of turmoil as things get resettled and Jong-un flexes his muscle to see how far he can go to gain the support and respect of his people. He's likely to test the limits, and he's very young to be put in this position. He has all of the grooming and breeding and immersion to take the same ultra-militant approach to ruling, but none of the experience and understanding to know his limits. His regime, as a result, could be far more unstable and frightening than even his father's.

I agree, and I can only imagine how tense South Korea must feel right now given the real possibility for instability. The mere fact that Kim Jong-Un is inexpereienced is worrying considering that major shit could go down if he decides to flex his military muscle.

Edited December 19, 2011 by Kevin

[The Dead Skin]

EDIT: Found this posted on another site.

uuuugghhhh

Let me guess. The Something Awful Forums?

[Danj86]

EDIT: Found this posted on another site.

I think I find this, the most shocking aspect of this story.

Even I know who Kim Jong-Il is, and I try to stay away from the news...always filled with sad stories. I even know about his other son Kim Jong-nam, who tried to go to Disneyland in Tokyo. lol

[Vec]

I wouldn't celebrate, I'd be worried instead

[Tornado]

There isn't much to be worried about. Sociopath or not, Jong Il wasn't crazy in a way that was dangerous to those outside of the DPRK. He wasn't going to start loosing nukes or lobbing artillery at anyone, because he was a smart son of a bitch. He knew what would happen if he did just like he knew what would happen if he tried to invade South Korea conventionally.

I have to imagine that Jung Un, who was supposedly chosen over his brothers because he was not a moron and who may very well have been in power for a while before Jong Il died, will be the same way as his father. It will far, far more likely than not be Jong Il Part 2, with all of the positive and negative things that that entails.

Edited December 19, 2011 by ChristmasJack

[#EndyGate]

Who is Kim Jong-iL?

[Patticus]

You know guys, I think we're being a bit too hasty in our mocking of Kim Jong-il. I was listening to the radio earlier, yeah sometimes even I do that, and they mentioned some of the things that Kim Jong-il did during his life - I was completely unaware of these. These are genuine facts, straight from North Korea's state media.

• He was born in a log cabin on North Korea's highest mountain, and immediately after his birth, rainbows and stars appeared in the sky.

• He could walk three weeks after his birth, and speak after eight weeks.

• He wrote his first political manifesto at the age of 2.

• He was a great at sports, particularly horse riding and golf. He recorded a whopping 11 holes-in-one during his first ever round of golf.

• He invented numerous things, including the microwave.

• During his time at university, he wrote 1500 books and six operas.

And now he's gone.

[Flyboy Fox]

He also invented the hamburger in 2004, apparently.

Oh, and he doesn't poop.

[Steelers2056]

@Comments from people not knowing who he was:

I don't want to live on this planet anymore. Seriously, I usually avoid the news and even I know who he was.

I remember years ago reading an article where he claimed to have had 13 consecutive hole-in ones. I guess the clown mouth hole must have broken that streak.

[Ekaje]

Let me guess. The Something Awful Forums?

Yeah, I mostly lurk the Games and LP forums, but I found this in the GBS thread on his death.

_____

Speaking of how ridiculously glorified he was, I'm kind of surprised the government tells the people that their leaders are dead. You'd think they would try to say that they've returned to heaven.

Edited December 19, 2011 by Ekaje

[Sami]

Yeah, the pun's lame, but it got a chuckle out of me nonetheless.

[Stacy]

"Yippi Ka Yay Motherfucker, I am still standing".

Nobody can put my buddy Castro down!