Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Or agents of evil?
passport trying to go to Disneyland. He still worked for the government.
It was a massive embarrassment to his father and afterwards he was exiled from North Korea, leading a lavish but low-key life in gambling mecca Macau, protected by Chinese secret services.
He claimed he had no desire to become leader of North Korea and when his brother was named heir apparent, he gave an interview to Japanese TV saying he was “personally opposed to the third-generation succession.”
Jong-un viewed the statement as treasonous – but also believed his brother was jockeying for power.
Michael Madden, of website North Korea Leadership Watch, said: “Jongnam still had a power base and there was always a remote possibility he would take power.”
There are reports Jong-nam pleaded with his brother five years ago not to harm him or his family.
Soon after his death, the South China Morning Post quoted an unnamed friend saying: “He knew his life was at risk… and he was aware his brother was after him.” His paranoid brother Jong-un feared he had become a puppet of his enemies.
Former CIA analyst Sue Mi Terry said: “However improbable, there were always rumours that Kim Jong-nam could replace Kim Jong-un as the head of the regime at the behest of China or the US.”
Another North Korea expert said: “It’s a sign of supreme confidence that