‘This dictatorship is different’: Former general warns West about removing Kim Jong-un
Seoul: “I caution the Western world that this dictatorship is different,” says In-Bum Chun, the former South Korean Lieutenant-General who warns that removing Kim Jong-un would be like “trying to get rid of Allah” from the Middle East.
“It will be very difficult. All dictatorships are paranoid because of the, inertial fault in their system.”
Retired Lieutenant-General Chun is one of South Korea’s most ambitious and experienced military men who served in the Republic of Korea Army for nearly 40 years — including a period as leader of the country’s special forces — before retiring about 18 months ago.
He provided Korean-English language support to the commander in chief on numerous occasions and was awarded the US Army Commendation Medal by General RisCassi in 1992.
Last year shortly after his retirement, the three-star general penned an open letter to Kim Jong-un — published in NK News — in which he warned the leader that the United States would act decisively if threatened, and expressed his hope that North Korea would temper their aggression.
“However, I did this out of a sense of duty and necessity. “My preference and choice is for peace and prosperity. I hope you share my preference.” Speaking to the ABC’s The
World programme, General Chun added that while he believes the actions of US President Donald Trump to be “eccentric”, he maintains that he deserves credit for making North Korea realise that “Americans are serious”. “I think his tough talking and the fact that it has brought sanctions towards North Korea — from not only the world community, but from China — has had an effect,” he said. North and South Korea recently reopened lines of diplomatic communication for the first time in more than two years, in the form of a military crisis hotline.
North Korea has also agreed to send a team to the Winter Olympics in South Korea, with the two nations even entering a joint women’s ice hockey squad.