Clinton sees possible North Korea power struggle

[Coventina]

Source: Reuters

SEOUL (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday raised the possibility of a power struggle in North Korea, saying that made it more urgent to find a way to end the secretive state's nuclear weapons programme.

Speaking to reporters as she flew to South Korea, Clinton said "the whole leadership situation is somewhat unclear" in North Korea, whose leader Kim Jong-il is widely believed to have suffered a stroke last August.

"If there is a succession, even if it is a peaceful succession ... that creates more uncertainty and it also may encourage behaviours that are even more provocative as a way to consolidate power within the society," she said.

Speculation has been rife over who might eventually replace the communist world's first dynastic leader. Much of the attention has focussed on whether the leadership might pass to one of his sons, his brother-in-law, or a ruling group made up of his top aides.



Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUKTRE51I35I20090219

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I just had to mention that the Fox "New" headline for this story was:

"Clinton: U.S. Preparing for Possible Regime Change in North Korea"

which implies something completely different. It made my hair stand on end.

Jerks.