Kim Jong-Il is dying of cancer

[Darth Wong]

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/07/1 ... eader.html

Report says North Korean leader has pancreatic cancer
Last Updated: Sunday, July 12, 2009 | 11:50 PM ET
CBC News

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has pancreatic cancer, a South Korean broadcaster said Monday.

Kim was diagnosed with the illness last summer, around the time he suffered a stroke, Seoul's YTN television reported, citing information by unnamed Chinese and South Korean intelligence sources.

The leader's health is one of the most closely guarded secrets in North Korea.

Kim is 67 years old and was widely believed to have suffered a stroke, but there has been no official confirmation.

He looked gaunt during a public appearance last Wednesday at a memorial for his father and state founder Kim Il-sung.

The report cited the officials saying the disease is "threatening" Kim's life.

Pancreatic cancer is usually found in its final stage, and considering Kim's age, he is expected to live no more than five years, the report said.

South Korea's spy agency said it could not confirm the television report. Unification Ministry spokesman Chun Hae-sung told reporters he knows nothing of the report.

The communist leader's health raises questions about succession and who will control the country's nuclear weapons program.

The South's spy agency believes that Kim's third and youngest son, Kim Jong-Un, is sure to inherit North Korea, Seoul's Chosun Ilbo daily reported Monday. But the regime under the son is expected to be unstable and vulnerable to internal political strife as Kim Jong-il's brother-in-law, Jang Song-thaek, could try to snatch power, the paper reported.

The North has conducted several nuclear tests, including a volley of seven ballistic missiles on July 4.

North Korea also fired a long-range rocket that it said was a satellite in early April and on May 25 conducted its second underground nuclear test following the first in late 2006.

The UN Security Council punished Pyongyang with tough sanctions centred on clamping down on North Korea's alleged trading of banned arms and weapons-related material.

Kim has been in power since 1994 when his father died.

The linked article shows a picture of what he looks like. It looks like he's a goner. Of course, for all we know he'll linger for another 10 years.

[Flagg]

Like I said at another board, it's always sad to see a living being dying. Those poor, poor cancer cells.

[Akkleptos]

He's dead.

The bloke is DEAD.




If the speed at which news like these are released out of totalitarian states is ay indication, you'd have to agree with me.

YEah, Fidel is dead as well.

Too bad you Americans can't start lighting up yer Cohibas just yet

[Edi]

He's looked like that in every last picture I've seen of him in the past four or five years, so no telling how far gone he is. Good riddance, though, and the sooner, the better.

[K. A. Pital]

He could well be in a dying condition and linger on for a few months. That is not uncommon. So I'd reserve the joy.

Moreover, nothing really changes in DPRK with his death, sadly enough.

[Vendetta]

Bear in mind that Kim Il-Sung is still the official head of state of Korea, and he's been dead for years. So even when Kim Jong-Il does "officially" die, he'll probably still be part of the government thanks to the whole ancestor worship thing they have going on.

[The Spartan]

Of course, for all we know he'll linger for another 10 years.

That's unlikely. The survival rate for pancreatic cancer is extremely low. Like, less than 5% after 5 years.

[Solauren]

Maybe we could offer him modern medical technology to treat his Cancer in exchange for him giving up his Nuclear program?

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

Maybe we could offer him modern medical technology to treat his Cancer in exchange for him giving up his Nuclear program?

Won't happen. He'd sooner die by his own hand than get poisoned by some "capitalist plot to kill him".

Regardless, I wouldn't even bother cheering after he is dead. Life in N. Korea remains the same and will remain that way for a long time barring a miracle from God Knows Where.

[tim31]

I wonder if his last act is to order a no-expense-spared movie made about his life, with a prologue on Kim Il-Sung?

Really, what more can we say on this other than how soon is now?

[Memnon]

I wonder how much Kim Jong Un will be controlled by the military? After all, he just was installed as head of the intel agency - maybe he'll actually have some pull.

[Mayabird]

That he's on death's door has been strongly suspected by a lot of people for a while, especially since he disappeared a while back. Kim never lived well and has always been a self-centered fatass who couldn't be told anything he didn't want to hear. It's possible that some/most/all of the recent saber-rattling from them is from internal politicking and jockeying for power when Kim croaks and...well, his 25 year old son has been picked as a successor, but again, internal politics, and who knows how long he'll manage to linger. He'll be getting the best of medical care even as the North Koreans starve.

[Isolder74]

Of course, for all we know he'll linger for another 10 years.

That's unlikely. The survival rate for pancreatic cancer is extremely low. Like, less than 5% after 5 years.

Indeed. This type of Cancer usually results in a operation to remove the pancreas meaning instant diabetes. That is not something the body can readily adapt to and even then it will usually have spread beyond that before it is discovered so that makes death usually come faster as the changes in body chemistry throws the Immune System into chaos.

It is going to be really hard to say how long he has left if this is true. To have gotten news of this from the Intel System(not the chip company ) means he might have had this condition much longer then we are aware of to begin with.

[Themightytom]

I wonder if his last act is to order a no-expense-spared movie made about his life, with a prologue on Kim Il-Sung?

Really, what more can we say on this other than how soon is now?

Thats gonna be a tiny coffin.

[Pelranius]

I wonder how much Kim Jong Un will be controlled by the military? After all, he just was installed as head of the intel agency - maybe he'll actually have some pull.

Kim Jong Un will practically be the puppet of Jang, his uncle (and Kim Jong Il's brother in law) though it's debatable if Jang will last very long after Kim Jong Il kicks the bucket, since there are fairly substantial rumors that Beijing doesn't like him too much.

[Broomstick]

Of course, for all we know he'll linger for another 10 years.

That's unlikely. The survival rate for pancreatic cancer is extremely low. Like, less than 5% after 5 years.

Indeed. This type of Cancer usually results in a operation to remove the pancreas meaning instant diabetes. That is not something the body can readily adapt to

Not just diabetes - a very severe form of diabetes that is very difficult to control. The Other Half and I learned about this sort of diabetes during his attack of pancreatitis - fortunately, he still retains some functional pancreas but diabetes-by-removal-of pancreas is a "brittle" form, prone to wide swings in blood sugar that are difficult to control and associated with a high rate of side effects. It also fucks up your digestion, as the pancreas plays a role there, producing various enzymes.

[Logical Mike]

I do believe this news. Despite their best efforts, I'll has been fading rather quickly over the last few years. I have to believe their medical resources pale in comparison to almost any other third world nation, much less a Britain or U.S. So his death is probably coming in a painful manner, which he deserves for continuing the family tradition of sucking the life out of that once proud country.

Now what I FEAR is that in his diluted, painkiller filled brain he has decided now is the time to attack his enemies. I don't know too much about the son or uncle, but I assume he hand picked some similiarly degenerate fuckwits to take his place. Scary shit.

[Isolder74]

That's unlikely. The survival rate for pancreatic cancer is extremely low. Like, less than 5% after 5 years.

Indeed. This type of Cancer usually results in a operation to remove the pancreas meaning instant diabetes. That is not something the body can readily adapt to

Not just diabetes - a very severe form of diabetes that is very difficult to control. The Other Half and I learned about this sort of diabetes during his attack of pancreatitis - fortunately, he still retains some functional pancreas but diabetes-by-removal-of pancreas is a "brittle" form, prone to wide swings in blood sugar that are difficult to control and associated with a high rate of side effects. It also fucks up your digestion, as the pancreas plays a role there, producing various enzymes.

Add to that any possible complications from the operation itself and most patients do not survive long after that. Some patients die quickly others linger on. Most only make it a few months before everything is basically over for them.