Analysis: In Death, Kim Gives China a Dose of Dread

North Korea’s erratic, secretive dictator is dead. After years of unsuccessful international efforts to convince North Korea to end its nuclear weapons program, nations, including China, are worried about instability. North Korea’s 25 million people face ongoing food and energy shortages, and the regime has long depended on China for aid. Despite illness, Kim Jong-Il visited China, his country’s closest ally, four times during the last 18 months. North Korean leaders may also reach out to South Korea, Japan or the US, playing them off China. “Beijing will hope the younger Kim will embrace more measured economic reforms that will ease the chronic shortages enduring by North Koreans,” write Chris Buckley and Ben Blanchard for Reuters. “China could also worry that any changes could spiral beyond the grip of Pyongyang's leaders and their Chinese mentors.” Young successor Kim Jong-un is untested and unknown, and exactly who's leading North Korea may not be immediately apparent. – YaleGlobal