Family Power Succession in a Communist State. The Case of Democratic People's Republic of Korea

The aim of the article is to analyze the mechanisms of family power succession in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, a state described as a communist monarchy with a Stalinist regime. Succession line begins with Kim Il-sung who came into power 1948 when the Democratic People's Republic of Korea was established. Official propaganda played a great role in the strengthening of his power and influenc. The next "monarch" is Kim Il-sung's son-Kim Jong-il, who was appointed as successor in 1974 but became the head of state only in 1998. The political power in the DPRK is legitimized by a widely developed personality cult, which includes not only the dead, but Eternal President (Kim Il-sung) but also the Dear Leader (Kim Jong-il) and the whole family clan. In view of Kim Jong-il's health condition, this paper analyzes the possible directions of family power succession after the death of Kim Jong-il.