With the off again - on again nuclear weapons summit between North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un and narcissist and Very Stable Genius Donald "Rump" Trump scheduled for June 12 in Singapore, yesterday's report that three top military officials in North Korea have been replaced likely indicates that Kim is nervous about the solidity of support for his overtures to South Korea and the U.S. After decades of monolithic antipathy toward the south and the U.S., Kim's recent charm offensive may have caught his military hardliners off guard. A potential coup while being out of the country was not something Kim was going to encourage in any way.
Kim has shown no hesitation in dealing with officials he perceives to be threats to his rule, including family members like his uncle and his half-brother. Whether this move indicates that Kim will make concessions now on his nuclear arsenal is unclear; he clearly knows that possessing nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them is his dynasty's only insurance policy. He also knows that weak-minded Rump can be won over with flattery and praise, and is someone desperate for a "win," no matter how empty, to divert from his worsening legal troubles and failing policies. Heading into the summit, Kim is in the driver's seat with Rump. He wants to make sure there are no back seat drivers at home.
(photo: KCNA via Reuters. They're all smiles now....)
