Michael Madden

The KPA (Korean People's Army) is undergoing actual modernization. Kim Jong Un is cutting through some of the fiefdoms and patronage networks that had grown too powerful.

Hacks and cronies are out in favor of professional military men. by Michael Madden

Hacks and cronies are out in favor of professional military men.

He's tried other things such as (Workers' Party) Political Bureau meetings, dismissals, demotions, etc., and it hasn't had the effect he wanted, the Party Congress is the most effective way to re-set North Korean political culture.

In many ways, Kim Jong Il ruled the country in open violation of... by Michael Madden

In many ways, Kim Jong Il ruled the country in open violation of the party charter.

Under Kim Jong Il, these guys would get their fiefdom then the leader gets to regulate it when he needs to, it's not unlike the mafia, or the Sopranos, where Tony has to make a ruling.

And that can take a few years, as we've seen. by Michael Madden

And that can take a few years, as we've seen.

Kim Yang Gon had enemies in the leadership who could do something like this without impunity, or at least it being linked directly to them.

There is no clear or present danger to Kim Jong Un's leadership or regime stability, but if this continues to happen into next year, then we should seriously start to think about revising our scenarios on North Korea.

North Korean internal politics is very volatile these days, internally, there does not seem to be any respect for Kim Jong Un within the core and middle levels of the North Korean leadership.

It's kind of a mystery why he called himself Ri Chol, there are several of these senior guys that are close to the center in Pyongyang and they use different names.

We can safely say that Ri Chol is a father figure to Kim Jong Un. by Michael Madden

We can safely say that Ri Chol is a father figure to Kim Jong Un.

People who are nominally her superiors most likely defer to her. by Michael Madden

People who are nominally her superiors most likely defer to her.

Ri Yong Ho is the official who was effectively sidelined after the Hanoi meetings and was removed from office because the interlocutors selected by the foreign ministry appeared not to accomplish anything.

There has been a demonstrative crossover dynamic in which senior military officials migrate into the party leadership.