What influence will the relatives of N.Korea`s new ruler have?

With Kim Jong Un taking control of North Korea, speculation is rising over what roles his relatives will play in running the Stalinist country.

Kim`s aunt Kim Kyong Hui and her husband Jang Song Taek will likely yield the most influence over the North’s new leader. Kim Kyong Hui, who had controlled the wives and children of her brother, the late leader Kim Jong Il, is expected to act as a power broker behind the scenes.

Jang is considered the most powerful figure in the North, but has limits because he is not a descendant of the Kim family. Because of this, he lost his position twice in the 1970s and 2004.

Jang came to Seoul on Oct. 26, 2002, with 18 other North Korean officials to inspect the South Korean economy and stayed there until Nov. 3 the same year. Citing the necessity of thorough research on capitalism, he is known to have even visited a hostess bar in downtown Seoul.

A person who accompanied Jang at the time said, “Jang drank calmly at first but starting binge drinking later and sighed for the future of North Korea.” Jang reportedly drank heavily, saying, “No policy can revive the (North Korean) economy.” His drinking binge made him unable to keep his schedule the next day, the source said. Experts add that Jang lost his position in 2004 partly due to his behavior at the hostess bar.

Han Ki-beom, a guest researcher at the state-run (South) Korea Institute for National Unification who was in charge of North Korea intelligence for the South Korean National Intelligence Service, said, however, “In 2003, when North Korean Premier Pak Pong Ju ordered the supply of materials for the construction of Independence Street in Pyongyang, those in charge of construction said Jang`s approval was a must. This was the direct cause of Jang`s downfall.”

Jang was exiled to a province and did manual labor. He was reinstated in 2006, however, as director of the capital construction headquarters of the ruling Workers` Party.

Also drawing attention is Kim Jong Un’s younger sister Yo Jong, who appeared at their father`s funeral. Kim Yo Jong received mourners where Kim Kyong Hui did at the 1994 funeral of the North’s founder Kim Il Sung. Kim Yo Jong will likely play the same role as her aunt did for the late Kim Jong Il to solidify Kim Jong Un`s power.

The new leader`s older brother Kim Jong Chol was not seen at the funeral, however. Had he appeared in public, the North Korean people would have been agitated, saying why the eldest son was not named to the throne. To prevent this from happening, Kim Jong Chol was probably excluded from the ceremony. Kim Jong Chol is expected to continue living in the shadows. Experts say he has little interest in power and intentionally kept his distance from politics while pretending to be absorbed in music.

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