Another Dynastic Power Transfer in North Korea?

Jong-Heon Lee is a correspondent with United Press International.

The death during the summer of North Korea's "respected mother" Ko Yong Hi, wife of Kim Jong-il, has posed a question: Will there be another dynastic succession of power in the hermit kingdom? Speculation is rife that Kim, the first ruler in communist history to succeed his father as head of state after a decades-long dynastic power inheritance program, has prepared to hand over his power to one of his three sons.

It has also been rumored that a power struggle exists among the candidates for the leadership of the impoverished communist country. "There seemed to be internal strife in the North over who would be the next leader after the death of Ko Yong-hi," said a South Korean businessman who has rare access to Pyongyang. "Ko's death may intensify the power struggle," he said.

According to South Korean news reports, Ko, who had acted as the "unofficial" first lady of the country, died of a heart attack on August 13 and was buried in secret. North Korea used an extremely expensive coffin purchased from France for the deceased first lady, reports said, citing Chinese sources.

There were rumors recently that she might have died after returning home from France, where she underwent surgery for breast cancer earlier this year. The direct cause of Ko's death was a heart attack, but the 51- year-old mistress had long battled with breast cancer. Her health worsened after she suffered severe head injuries in a car accident last September, according to the sources.