China’s military has made preparations for a possible regime collapse in North Korea, according to a leaked military document.
The plan includes increased border surveillance, the establishment of refugee/concentration camps along the border, and the detainment of key North Korean leaders, Japan’s Kyodo News reported on May 4, citing military documents leaked to it.
Beijing will initially take military control of North Korea and help Kim Jong-Un’s older brother, Kim Jong-Nam, to take over power.
Kyodo News said the document was released after Korean leader Kim Jong-Un had his uncle, Jang Song-Thaek, executed in December last year.
Jang Song-Thaek was the second most powerful man in the country and accused of being a traitor. He was also known in Beijing as one of their best friends in Pyongyang.
Kim Jong-Nam, the brother, has lived in Beijing and Macau for a long time and is also known as a friend in Beijing.
Although North Korea is dependent on Beijing for survival, Beijing’s relationship with the young, Swiss-educated Kim Jong-Un has been strained.
Wu Fan, editor of China Affairs magazine, told New York based New Tang Dynasty Television (NTD) that Kim Jong-Un has isolated himself.
“Kim Jong-Un killed the pro-Chinese people, making for a very tense relationship between China and North Korea, so his rule is very difficult.”
Regarding the possibility of a reunification of North and South Korea, Wu was skeptical, saying “They will send Kim Jong-Un’s brother back to North Korea in power and foster some new people in power, stopping North Korea and South Korea’s reunification. They will let his brother rule with an economic reform and opening to the outside, managed by China but still ruled by another person from the Kim dynasty. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is likely to make North Korea its fourth northeastern province. I believe the CCP now intends to send the army to arrest Kim Jong-Un immediately once there are signs of trouble.”
Recently, the South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo reported that a sign was hung in North Korea’s Kang Kon Military Academy stating, “China is a turncoat and our enemy.”
