ID :
51800
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 07:40
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/51800
The shortlink copeid
Kim Jong-il named 3rd worst dictator after Mugabe, al-Bashir
By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, March 22 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has been named the third worst dictator in the world, a U.S. weekly magazine said Sunday.
Kim is the worst only after Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe and Sudan's Omar al-Bashir,
the magazine Parade said in "The World's 10 Worst Dictatorships" published in its
Sunday edition.
"Kim is believed to have suffered a stroke and has been absent from important
public events. But his regime continues to be one of the world's most
repressive," the magazine said. "Hundreds of thousands of citizens, including
children, are imprisoned in labor camps for such crimes as hoarding food and
anti-socialist activities."
The North Korean leader was selected by the magazine as the worst dictator last
year.
The magazine noted that U.S relationship with North Korea has recently been
dominated North Korea's nuclear ambitions.
The U.S. has been engaging in multilateral talks on ending the North's nuclear
weapons programs. The six-party talks, also involving South Korea, China, Japan
and Russia, were stalled in December as North Korea refused to agree to a
verification protocol over its nuclear facilities.
"Secretary of State Clinton recently expressed concern over a possible succession
struggle and signs that North Korea is preparing to test a long-range missile,
which is considered highly provocative to South Korea and Japan," the magazine
said.
North Korea has said it will launch a rocket in early April to orbit a satellite,
although the U.S. sees it as a disguise for test launching a ballistic missile
capable of hitting the continental U.S.
Reports said that Kim Jong-il's third son, Jong-un, has recently been named heir
apparent due to the North Korean leader's failing health.
Among other dictators in the list are Myanmar's Than Shwe, Saudi Arabian King
King Abdullah, Chinese President Hu Jintao, Iranian Ayatollah Sayyid Ali
Khamenei, Eritrean President Isayas Afewerki, Turkmenistan's Gurbanguly
Berdymuhammedov and Libyan President Muammar al-Qaddafi.
WASHINGTON, March 22 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has been named the third worst dictator in the world, a U.S. weekly magazine said Sunday.
Kim is the worst only after Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe and Sudan's Omar al-Bashir,
the magazine Parade said in "The World's 10 Worst Dictatorships" published in its
Sunday edition.
"Kim is believed to have suffered a stroke and has been absent from important
public events. But his regime continues to be one of the world's most
repressive," the magazine said. "Hundreds of thousands of citizens, including
children, are imprisoned in labor camps for such crimes as hoarding food and
anti-socialist activities."
The North Korean leader was selected by the magazine as the worst dictator last
year.
The magazine noted that U.S relationship with North Korea has recently been
dominated North Korea's nuclear ambitions.
The U.S. has been engaging in multilateral talks on ending the North's nuclear
weapons programs. The six-party talks, also involving South Korea, China, Japan
and Russia, were stalled in December as North Korea refused to agree to a
verification protocol over its nuclear facilities.
"Secretary of State Clinton recently expressed concern over a possible succession
struggle and signs that North Korea is preparing to test a long-range missile,
which is considered highly provocative to South Korea and Japan," the magazine
said.
North Korea has said it will launch a rocket in early April to orbit a satellite,
although the U.S. sees it as a disguise for test launching a ballistic missile
capable of hitting the continental U.S.
Reports said that Kim Jong-il's third son, Jong-un, has recently been named heir
apparent due to the North Korean leader's failing health.
Among other dictators in the list are Myanmar's Than Shwe, Saudi Arabian King
King Abdullah, Chinese President Hu Jintao, Iranian Ayatollah Sayyid Ali
Khamenei, Eritrean President Isayas Afewerki, Turkmenistan's Gurbanguly
Berdymuhammedov and Libyan President Muammar al-Qaddafi.
