Late Kim Jong-Il

North Korean puzzle has become more larger and more difficult to be solved after a sudden death of a dictator. I really wonder whether this is such a sad news to the ordinary 23 million North Koreans who have been deprived of their basic rights as a independent democratic citizen, as they are apparently crying over the dead body of Kim Jong-il.

Brutal oppression and people's starvation has been the bad symbol of the Stalinist regime led by the strongest dictator in the world history, Kim Jong-il, who has just passed away, due to heart attack. Probably China would be one of the sad country for the death of this dictator for the reason that stability in North Korea could be weakened, thus causing some disorder unfavorable for the sustainable development of the Chinese economy. Also in the military context, strong and stable North Korea has been a strong wall against the military influence of the US in Northeast Asia.

Core members in the hierarchy of North Korean Workers Party and Military circle must have been vulnerable to the future dynamics of death politics because the power rigidity they have enjoyed could possibly be shaken if uncontrollable situation could happen in North Korea. On the contrary, 23 million North Koreans do not need to feel so sad in that the era of genuine democracy for ordinary people there could come earlier than they think. Indoctrination and authoritarian control have made their psychological condition addicted to the wrong idea of Juche ideology, almost to a religious level. The death of a dictator could open a new era for those people there in a positive direction.

What is crucial at this juncture is how to change North Korean regime into a more transparent and democratic one for adopting reforms and opening to the outside world, along with reducing the potential for security unstability there. In the process of this perilous moment that requires close coordination among the major four super powers around the Korean Peninsula, South Korea should be the main player with full diplomatic leverages to create a peaceful mood on the Korean Peninsula.

With the nuclear weapons arsenal and an erratic leadership in North Korea, security is the most crucial agenda in the future South Korean politics, definitely replacing the already existing economic and welfare agenda. Given North Korea's hostile attitude toward South Korea and belligerence, the coming general and presidential election in 2012 will be heavily influenced by the future security uncertainty and the problem of succession to Kim Jong-eun, the current heir from Kim Jong-il.

The role of the US has also become more important in managing security agenda in Northeast Asia as China holds many important cards as far as North Korean politics are concerned. This means that Korea-US alliance should be the major axis of military politics in Northeast Asia. Even though China has more leverages toward Pyongyang, Washington should not be hesitant to meddle in this crucial transition politics to the best degree possible, either diplomatically or politically in close consultation with Seoul.

Quite beyond the security interests of China, Washington and Seoul should look for a more promising chance for the rise of a more genuine democratic regime in Pyongyang. Holding more active diplomatic dialogues with Beijing, Washington and Seoul should level up the chance for better living conditions in North Korea with universal democratic practices for the North Korea's 23 million citizens. In this task, Seoul should be the major player in this transition politics on the Korean Peninsula.

Of course, it is quite uncertain whether North Korea could meet the outside world level or fall back into the old paradigm of Cold War ghost. The building up of nuclear state and personality cult in the past in North Korea still cast dark shadow into the mind of the people there. South Korea and the US should make a combined efforts to give a poverty-stricken North Koreans a glim hope for a better future.

Active diplomacy to persuade Beijing to transform North Korea from the recalcitrant regime to at least Beijing type opening economy will be a very crucial task for the future stability of the Korean Peninsula. At the same time, Seoul and Washington should be on full alert for all possibilities, more enhancing the Korea-US alliance axis.