Joseph Yun Li-sun

In a public statement, North Korea’s National Defence Commission issues warning against South Korea and the world. Nothing changes with Kim Jong-un’s rise to power; “traitors” and “puppets” will be crushed. Source tells AsiaNews that there is “nothing new”. It is “a provocation” ahead of Kim Jong-un’s address on 1 January.

After a 13-day mourning period, the third son of the late ‘dear leader’ takes over. Kim Yong-nam, the regime’s number two man, says the new leader inherits his father’s “leadership” and “character”.

As North Koreans continue to bow (compulsorily) out of grief, the succession game continues within the regime. Ten nuclear weapons are at stake. “Even though he has no control over them or the party, he does know about propaganda and is using the funeral to gain soldiers’ support.”

The ‘great successor’ meets former President Kim Dae-jung’s widow as well as Hyundai chairwoman. Source tells AsiaNews he wants “to study his adversaries”. As people wait for the late dictator’s funeral, North Korea’s official media officially crowns the heir.

The North Korean regime confirmed: no foreign delegation will attend the dictator’s funeral. But some foreign "individuals" were invited, among them stands out "Princess Tenko", a Japanese magician who has performed during the dictator's birthday and was showered with jewels from the leader of one of the poorest nations in the world.

A source on the border with China tells AsiaNews, “Soldiers are hoarding all they can find in their barracks. People are starving to death because here you can live only with a rifle and some food.” Meanwhile, the power struggle for the dead leader’s throne picks up.

Source tells AsiaNews that the grief seen on national TV “is not linked to the dictator’s death” but rather to hunger, concern about the coming winter and fear of the future. People want peace and an end to an “era” that “was very dark”.

A South Korean government source tells AsiaNews, “Pain for the dictator’s death is real. People saw him as a source of pride because of his military challenge to the world. Now North Korea could free itself from the dictatorship but people inside must make the first move. An outside intervention would be devastating.” Beijing expresses its condolences, whilst the US is alarmed.

Mgr Lazarus You Heung-sik, bishop of Daejeon and president of the Episcopal Commission for the care of migrants, tells AsiaNews, “a period of confusion begins in the peninsula. We must focus on dialogue for peace but remain alert. May Christmas push us to pray for an improvement in the situation.” South Korea’s Ambassador to the Holy See Thomas Han sees some hope.

Lim Young-sun, the North Korean defector, has put part of the North Korean state television programs online, and broadcast them via satellite. The government of South tolerates this activity for now, considering it useful for unification, but limits the terrestrial signal.

South Korea is one of the countries with the lowest birth rates in the world. A social and economic issue that must be addressed before it's too late. The Bishop of Daejeon tells AsiaNews how the Church responds to this challenge: "We teach a new culture of life in the shadow of the Lord. But we also materially help families in need. "

A year since the South Korean island was shelled, and four people killed by North Korea, South Korea is set to conduct large-scale exercises in the contested area.