Military rule likely if NKorea's Kim dies: Report

Seoul, Dec 19: North Korea's government may lapse into a briefcoma if leader Kim Jong-il dies suddenly, but it will come back to lifewith a military takeover, a South Korean intelligence report obtainedtoday said.

The intelligence committee from South Korea's parliament said theNorth Korean system would persevere even in the event of a sudden deathof its Dear Leader Kim.

''Kim Jong-il's death means North Korea's governing system willlapse into a coma,'' it said. ''Top military officials are likely tofight one another to take over governing power.'' Kim, 64, has notnamed a successor in the world's only communist dynasty. He has threeknown sons and speculation has been rife for years as to which one hewill select.

Without a clear successor who has established himself within thecorridors of power in Pyongyang, the report said the greatestlikelihood will be for military rule in the country where Kim's toppolicy priority has been to put the military first.

One leading candidate for a new leader would be O Kuk-ryol, a75-year-old general and former army chief of staff who has rankedsecond behind Kim in the country's powerful Central Military Commission.

''O Kuk-ryol is loved by Kim and is seen as a very reliable person who also knows South Korea well,'' the report said.

Kim Il-sung named his son Kim Jong-il as his successor in 1974.

The younger Kim took power in 1994 when Kim Il-sung died at age of 82.

Reuters