The entire world was shocked by the news of the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, who was as vicious a dictator as Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin or Mao Zedong.
What are the political capabilities of Kim Jong Un, who has succeeded his father? Can North Korea continue the dynastic regime in the way that his grandfather would have wanted?
Both the United States and China, which have keen interest in how things develop in North Korea, have reacted calmly to the dictator's death. The ideal scenario for Washington would be to see North Korea open its economy and walk toward political democratization.