Edeson Online News: How Kim Jong-un Rose To Fame In World Politics After Years Of Isolation

Monday 11 June 2018

How Kim Jong-un Rose To Fame In World Politics After Years Of Isolation

Kim Jong-un has suddenly become the new popular leader in the political class of 2018. After years in isolation, he has emerged as a powerful player. Leaders from China, Russia, Syria, South Korea and the US have all met or are due to meet Mr Kim this year.

They are literally lining up. Vladimir Putin has just extended an invitation for him to come to Vladivostock in September and Syria's President Assad has said he would also like to visit Pyongyang.

"We are witnessing the making of 'Kim Jong-un, international statesman'," said Jean Lee, the former Associated Press bureau chief in Pyongyang. "This is such a different international debut than we saw in 2010, when Kim Jong-un stepped forward as the unknown, baby-faced heir apparent.

"Now, with a proven intercontinental ballistic missile under his belt, Kim is stepping out as the leader of a country that sees itself as a nuclear power on par with the world's other nuclear powers, including the United States. "
This is of course the kind of prize he was looking for when he accelerated his missile testing programme in 2017, as Ken Gause, the author of North Korean House of Cards, points out in a recent essay.

Little did Kim Jong-un know he was going to get THE prize. A summit with the US president. It gave him the diplomatic street cred he was hoping for. And it also offered him an opportunity to say North Korea was open for business.

Two things helped Kim Jong-un's new diplomatic outreach. South Korea elected a liberal president who campaigned with the promise to engage with North Korea. This allowed him to establish a relationship with his neighbour.
Then came the invitation to the US president. Previous commanders-in-chief had wanted some kind of guarantees in place before a summit.
Having declared that his weapons programme was complete, Mr Kim announced that his main focus would be on the economy. To do that he needed to forge alliances and rebuild old friendships.
Kim Jong-un has changed the rules of the game. Last year his nuclear arsenal was a liability, now he has turned them into a diplomatic tool.

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GUYS, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

FACEBOOK COMMENTS

Boukan Dora Ebi and 8 others

Oluwatoyin Obanla

Because a neophyte bigot gave him that opportunity on a platter of gold

LikeReactReplyDeleteReport2 hours ago

Endy Edeson

@Obanla: Hahahahahahaha. Obanla: It is not on a platter of God, the strategic young leader, Kim had worked hard for the FAME he is enjoying now. Infact, no country can mess with North Korea anyhow, they see much potentials in him. That's why they are all queeing to meet him. Imagine, Trump, old enough to be his grandfather is "STOOPING LOW" for a meeting with him. He can't just ignore him, if he do, then America will be behind North Korea in Nuclear power