The murky process of hereditary succession in North Korea appears to have been suspended, at least for now, and the rise to power of Kim Jong Il's third son may be on hold, according to South Korean analysts and three organizations with informants inside the secretive state.
Kim Jong Un, 26, is the likely heir to the dynasty that rules North Korea, South Korean intelligence officials told lawmakers here in June. His nomination was apparently triggered by the ill health of his 67-year-old father, who suffered a stroke 13 months ago and looked sickly in television footage in the spring.
But Kim Jong Il has since shown signs of improved health. He has appeared relatively robust on state-controlled TV this summer and reportedly acted spry in his meeting last month with former president Bill Clinton, who flew to Pyongyang to secure the release of two jailed U.S. journalists.
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