`N. Korea Not in Danger of Imminent Collapse`

The highest ranking North Korean official who defected to South Korea says North Korea will not collapse soon despite its dire situation, a report said yesterday.

Hwang Jang-yop, former secretary of North Korean ruling Workers’ Party, was quoted by Kyoto News Agency as saying this in a closed lecture in Tokyo Tuesday.

“In North Korea, the influence of the late leader Kim Il Sung remains strong. So even if Kim Jong Il has health problems, North Korea will see no major upheaval as long as Kim Kyong Hui, Kim Jong Il’s younger sister and a Workers’ Party director, remains in power,” Hwang said.

He added that a coup d’état by North Korea`s military is unlikely since it has been indoctrinated by ideology.

Last week at a lecture hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, Hwang said, “Since no major force can possibly challenge Kim Jong Il in North Korea, we cannot predict a crack in North Korea’s political system. There is also little chance for an immediate major change within North Korea as long as it has China`s support.”

In Tokyo, the Japanese government went to great lengths to protect Hwang, blocking the windows to and from flight gates and corridors Sunday afternoon when he arrived at Narita International Airport.

The Tuesday lecture was attended by around 70 people, including Japanese defense, Cabinet and police officials, U.S. Embassy staff, and the families of Japanese nationals kidnapped by North Korea.

jkmas@donga.com