Has Kim Jong Il Been Dead Since 2003?

Under the cover of darkness, a mysterious stranger in a trenchcoat cautiously passes to us this article from Japan Today:

Is Kim Jong Il dead? Yes, North Korea’s “Dear Leader” is no more, having passed away in the fall of 2003, writes Waseda University professor Toshimitsu Shigemura in Shukan Gendai (Aug 23-30).

If true, the implications are potentially vast. Among them: former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s summit partner during one or both of his landmark visits to Pyongyang in 2002 and 2004 was not Kim himself but a dummy—the stand-in Shigemura claims has been fooling the world for at least five years.

The article goes on to cover several critical details of Shigemura’s theory, which posits the often-neglected fact of Kim Jong Il’s diabetic history - a condition which once bound him to a wheelchair - as a possible catalyst for his supposed death. More evidence is also introduced for discussion, such as his sudden reclusive tendencies and spy satellite photos of the diminutive dictator showing him to be taller than usual.

Frankly, this all seems a little too out there to have any basis in reality. While certain world figures with Jong Il’s notoriety (not to mention paranoia) have been known to keep a decoy or two around just in case, successfully employing one to take the place of a functioning leader in the event of death is a completely different ball game. On top of that, the chance of a coup d’etat in such a circumstance would seem almost insurmountably high, although we could be underestimating the loyalty of the North Korean military.

It would also be wise not to forget that any body double serious about putting up an effective rouse would have to match Kim’s famously insatiable thirst for Hennessy Cognac. That’s no easy feat! Perhaps there have been many replacements, a new one cycled in every time the last one drops from alcohol poisoning.

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