North Korean House of Cards

XI. CONCLUSION
To commemorate the 19th anniversary of Kim Il-sung’s death on July 8, 2013,
a leadership procession led by Kim Jong-un made its way to the Kumsusan Palace of
the Sun, where the founder of the regime lies. In the commemorative photograph
that appeared in Nodong Sinmun, Kim Jong-un was seen walking two steps ahead of
a group of North Korean leaders dressed in military uniforms, with the exception
of Premier Pak Pong-ju. Kim “and his companions” entered the main hall of the
palace and bowed in respect to the statues of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il. They then
visited the chamber containing Kim Il-sung’s preserved remains and bowed to him “in
humblest reverence,” according to KCNA. 639 This scene was meant to portray a stable
leadership that is steeped in history and unified behind its Supreme Leader.
This ceremony tried to convey the message that the transition of power from
Kim Jong-il to Kim Jong-un had gone smoothly. Kim Jong-un had received the
titles of authority. He was, in all likelihood, the ultimate decision maker. Despite
this official portrayal, many Pyongyang-watchers at the time argued that he had
not consolidated his power. This would most likely take at least another year or two
as he “learned the ropes” and developed the relationships he would need to rule.
Until then, he would have to rely on a close-knit group of regents and advisors. The
protective inner circle around Kim Jong-un appeared stable, although a struggle for
influence between Jang Song-taek and Choe Ryong-hae may have been emerging. This
struggle appeared benign and unlikely to upset the delicate balance that was needed
for the consolidation process to proceed. While there were struggles for power
and influence going on at the second and third echelons of the regime, they did not
directly involve the young leader and he was largely immune.
Five months later, as the second year of Kim Jong-un’s rule came to a
close, the execution of Jang Song-taek sent the Pyongyang-watching community
scrambling for explanations. They were left wondering what this would mean for
the future of the regime. What could be said with some certainty in the months
after this shocking incident was that a watershed event had taken place. The regent
structure, which was fundamental to governance in the first year and a half, now
lay in ruins and Kim Jong-un had broken the protective inner circle in which he
previously operated. While Kim had consolidated his position within the regime as
the Supreme Leader, the extent of his power was unclear. The answer to that question
depended on the motivation behind Jang Song-taek’s violent and very public purge,
which is still being debated.
639 “Senior Party, State Officials Visit Kumsusan Palace of Sun,” KCNA, July 8, 2013.
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