[tw]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

[Europeans educated leader] is false[/url]

The official version could never admit that Kim Jong-Il was educated outside the country. Necessary for same reasons that Kim Jong-Il must be very careful in how he engages the world. Again, to admit an education outside of N Korea means extremists might just rise up and kill him. Many in N Korea are that brain washed extremist.

Meanwhile Kim Jung-Il sent his children to be educated in Switzerland - a country that Kim is said to have repeatedly visited. So yes, it is not clear that Kim was educated in Switzerland even though the claim was made long ago. A public acknowledgement of his boys educated in Switzerland is regarded by many that his children will not be permitted to succed Kim Jong-Il even though they were being groomed accordingly. Again, N Korea is that introverted. An official version could never say Kim was educated outside Korea.

Switzerland is a popular destination for all Kims. From english.chosun.com:

... sister of Kim Jong-il's recently deceased wife Ko Young-hee, defected to the United States in May 1998 with her husband, a man in his late 40s identified only as Park, through the U.S. Embassy in Switzerland.

Yes, I cannot confirm that that Kim Jong-Il was Swiss educated. Only that he and many family members travel to or get educated in Switzerland. His background is cosmopolitian even though the official version will not admit same. The Guardian in Kim is a baby rattling the sides of a cot reports

I also remember the first confirmed sightings of his son, Kim Jong-il: not the remote beast the CIA told us about, but a young man taking holidays in Malta and picking up his first lessons in sophisticated statecraft from Dom Mintoff.

Meanwhile Kim Jong-chul, his son, has been reported with two American friends from his International Swiss school - even at a rock and roll concert in Germany. Repeated rumors say that Kim also has $4billion in Swiss bank accounts.

The point remains that Kim - unlike most of his countrymen - is cosmopolitan and quite knowledgeable of the world as was noted by Sec of State Albright after long discussions. So knowledgeable and daring as to even educate his boys in Switzerland to be groomed as future N Korean leaders. World knowledge that is unusual for N Koreans power brokers.

And again, the point is that Kim Song-Il is playing a dangerous game trying to integrate N Korea into the world. Something he must do and that his extremists will strongly oppose - as what may have happened on a train ride back from China where an explosion later leveled the N Korean town.